What A Hallow Is
by Hallow Sisters On My Mind
Summary: Sybil Hallow is not like her sisters, she is nervous and is always messing up academically, will she ever be able to live up to the family name 'Hallow'
1. Chapter 1 - The Assembly

A/N: A new story. I wrote this days ago but the upload feature has not being working for me. I hope you all like this one, I wanted to do one based on Sybil for a long time, and this one is her learning about herself and the pressures on her as a Hallow. I hope you all like it and please review.

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**What A Hallow Is**

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Chapter One

**The Assembly**

Sybil Hallow woke up to the sound of an alarm and turned over, slowly opening her eyes and moaning as she saw it was half seven. She hated early mornings, but she had no choice in the matter, she had lessons to attend. She lay in bed for ten more minutes before she forced herself out of bed, and Sparkle, her familiar meowed at her as way of greeting.

"Morning Sparkle" Sybil said, stroking the black cat on the head and hearing her purr happily. She looked and saw the cat was running low on food, so she filled up the bowl and the cat tucked into her breakfast happily as Sybil left her bedroom to start getting ready.

"Hey Sybs, good sleep?" one of her best friends Beatrice Bunch said, as she left her bedroom. Sybil nodded.

"Yes it wasn't bad, how about you?" Sybil asked and Beatrice nodded.

"It was good, I just wish it had lasted longer" Beatrice replied as they made their way to the bathroom to use the toilet and wash. After they were both done, they walked back to their bedrooms in order to dress into their uniforms.

Sybil put on her uniform and did her hair in her plaits like she did every morning. She looked at the time and saw it was eight fifteen and breakfast was about to be served, so she left her bedroom and joined Bea, and her other best friend, Clarice Twigg, to make their way to the dining hall.

Breakfast was as usual, barely tolerable for them to eat, Sybil had hoped Ethel had being lying about the awful food when she had spoken about it in the summer before she started, but she was sad to discover the food really was as bad as her older sister made out.

"I love Fridays, five lessons instead of six, because of assembly" Beatrice said happily, glad to have one less lesson to attend. Every Friday an assembly was held for the school, sometimes they were boring, with Miss Cackle just telling them about any concerns or changes she thought they should make, but it still beat lessons.

"I disagree, I don't like Fridays, I for one enjoy the extra lesson" Clarice replied. The bespectacled girl was smart and loved to learn, so she was one of the only pupils who actually liked doing extra work. Sybil smiled and looked at her friends.

"Speak for yourself" the blonde girl said as she spooned some more of the paste into her mouth and grimaced, the taste was something she could never get used to. It was like she was eating paste.

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After their breakfast, the girls made their way to the hall for assembly, of course with all the students doing the same thing, there was a crowd, so the girls spoke quietly amongst themselves as they waited, before taking seats together in the middle row at the front. They had to sit by year groups so Sybil and her year were at the front, and Ethel and the rest of the second years were behind them and so forth.

"Good morning girls" Miss Cackle said to them, beaming at them as if it wasn't nine fifteen on a Friday morning and they were going to be full of energy.

"Good morning Miss Cackle" the girls chanted back. The woman smiled and turned to the chanting teacher Miss Bat, who was sat at the piano.

"Let's start with the singing of our school song" Miss Cackle said. This again was normal for assembly, the woman thought it woke the girls up and got them ready for the day ahead if they sang the school song to start with. The students stood, and started to chant along to the music.

Beatrice smiled and nudged her friends, who looked at HB and smiled, they always found it amusing to see the normally strict serious woman singing, they assumed they were not the only students who thought this as they saw the students at the side of them smirking as well. They finished singing and then sat back down.

"Thank you girls" the woman said before she smiled at them, about to start her announcements.

"Girls I have some very exciting news to share with you" the woman said, as she looked around the room. Sybil and her friends looked at each other, all wondering if it was actually exciting or just something Miss Cackle herself found exciting.

"As you are all aware, Halloween will be upon us in a short few weeks, and this year The Great Wizard will be visiting us for the event" the woman said. She then smiled and her voice got higher, clearly excited by her news. "So we are going to be putting on a performance for the Great Wizard, each year group is going to perform something different and then we are all going to sing at the end" the woman said and Sybil heard squeals from behind her, the girls who liked acting and being the centre of attention clearly excited.

"From now on, Friday mornings will be for rehearsals for the performance, and I expect all of you to do the best you can" the woman said. Sybil bit her lip, her chest hurting as she realised that she would have to perform in front of the Great Wizard on a stage, she knew she would mess up whatever it was they had to do, and she glanced at her friends. Beatrice looked happy and even Clarice looked happy at the idea of being able to show of what she had learned. Sybil looked at Miss Cackle, trying to get rid of her doubts.

But she was so worried, she didn't even hear the rest of the announcements because she had gotten herself worked up, and she was only shook back to reality when she realised everyone was starting to stand up to leave, and she stood up, her friends talking as she did so.

"This will be great, I hope we do something really interesting for our performance, although we are first years so it probably wont be as good as the other year groups" Beatrice said, as she walked with her best friends, knowing the older students will properly have the most interesting acts.

"I am looking forward to showing him what we have learned this year" Clarice said smiling. Sybil sighed, wishing she was excited like her friends, and as they walked into the corridor she saw girls gathered and talking happily, Mildred and her friends, Ethel and Felicity, in fact everyone seemed to be really excited, all except for Sybil.

"What is wrong Sybil? You look like you have just being told we have double potions" Clarice said knowing it was something she would enjoy, but not Sybil, it would in fact be her worst nightmare.

"I don't want to be in this performance, I will only mess it up" Sybil said nervously, not having the confidence to believe in herself.

"Don't say that Sybil, you will do great" Beatrice told her but Sybil shook her head, feeling depressed after the news. She was worried about it, she just knew it would go wrong.

* * *

The rest of the day was not fun for Sybil, everyone in the school was so excited, it was all anyone was talking about, in lessons, at mealtimes, and even the teachers seemed to be happier than normal and seeing everyone happy about it only made her less happy and she was therefore glad to be back in her room that evening, just her and Sparkle. Clarice, Beatrice and her didn't share anymore, they had gotten their own rooms when they fixed up the school. Normally, she liked the company and it had taken her a whole to settle into her own bedroom, but today she was glad she was alone.

"What am I going to do Sparkle? This performance is going to be awful, whatever it is we do I will mess it up" Sybil said, biting her lip as she stroked her cat, feeling the pressure getting to her.

She was a Hallow. She thought that was both a blessing and a nightmare. She loved how close she was to her sisters, and she would not want to have any other siblings, but being a Hallow was hard. You were expected to know everything and be brilliant at everything, and unlike Esmie and Ethel who seemed to have a natural talent for living up to this expectation, Sybil struggled academically. She was bad at potions and flying, and spells was her only strong point. She knew nerves were something that held her back and properly made things worse for her but she knew she would never be at the same level as her sisters, Miss Hardbroom told her all the time how much better they were than her, and Sybil had started to understand over the year why Ethel was bitter, she had heard the woman say Esmerelda was better than Ethel too, and it hurt a lot to hear that, Esmerelda would always deny it and tell them not to listen, but it wasn't that easy. Miss Hardbroom properly didn't know or just didn't care how much them words hurt the girls.

"Maybe one day I will be a proper Hallow" Sybil said with a sigh sadly as she kept stroking her cat, who cuddled up to her, able to tell she was sad. Sybil was worried about ruining the perfomance for the whole school and just wished she could be better at living up to her family name.


	2. Chapter 2 - Bad Day

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Chapter Two

**Bad Day**

Sybil did not have a good night. She tossed and turned, and had a nightmare about the performance. In her nightmare she was performing with her year group and everything was going well until the blonde tripped up on her own feet and went flying, straight into the Great Wizard, and ruining the entire performance. Sybil woke up sweating from fear, it was only a nightmare but she felt like it was going to really happen.

"Sybil? Are you awake?" She heard Clarice say, knocking on her door to make sure she was up so she was not late. Sybil rubbed her eyes, tired from her lack of sleep but replied.

"Yes...I will be there in a moment, go on without me" Sybil replied as she forced herself out of bed to start getting ready, she wasn't normally one for being late, her parents had done something right in raising her, teaching her and her sisters the importance of time keeping and she was not used to having to rush but she didn't want to miss breakfast, it was disgusting but having an empty stomach was worse.

* * *

"Are you okay Sybil? You look awful" Beatrice commented as Sybil walked into the dining hall halfway through breakfast and took a seat between her friends, starting to eat her breakfast.

"I didn't have a good night" Sybil replied explaining the reasoning for why she looked tired and drained. Clarice and Beatrice eyed each other concerned for their friend.

"Are you still worried about Halloween?" Clarice asked, knowing the girl had being fretting about it the night before.

Sybil nodded, seeing no point in denying it. "I am going to mess it up, I just know it, and then everyone in the school will hate me" Sybil replied, her porridge getting stuck in her throat as she ate.

"Sybil, you are a good witch you will be fine" Beatrice replied trying to reassure her friend she will be okay. Sybil however looked over and saw Miss Drill leaving the staff table to get ready for her classes. Sybil put her spoon down and stood up.

"I need to talk to Miss Drill" the girl said and her friends looked at her and shouted after her

"Sybil what about your breakfast?" she heard Clarice say but that wasn't important now.

She was going to ask Miss Drill if she could skip performing. Mr Rowan-Webb and Miss Bat would be indecisive and probably fall asleep before answering, Miss Cackle wouldn't listen and would outright say no, and Miss Hardbroom terrified her, so that left Miss Drill who would be the most reasonable person to ask.

"Miss Drill" the girl said running after the teacher who walked towards the sports cupboard and started to pull the bag of basketballs out. The woman turned around and smiled at the first year.

"Are you okay Sybil?" the woman asked, looking at the girl to give her her attention.

"Not really Miss Drill, about this performance at Halloween, I was wondering if I could sit out of it, I am not very good at performing" Sybil said, looking at the woman, hoping she would tell her that was fine.

"The perfomance is compulsory Sybil, everyone has to take part" Miss Drill told her, thinking Miss Cackle should of made that more clear.

"I can help backstage, please let me skip this Miss" Sybil said, desperate and the woman looked at her now concerned.

"Why do you want to not join in Sybil?" the woman asked, knowing something was up with the girl, Sybil sighed, knowing she had to tell her about her worries or she won't help her.

"I am going to mess it up Miss, you know I am not good at performing and get nervous, I don't want to embarrass the school" Sybil replied and her teacher looked at her sadly.

"You are a good witch Sybil, I know you will be nervous but everyone will be, and don't worry you will have plenty of time to practise" Miss Drill told her as she knew they would have weeks to perfect it, but Sybil shook her head, still not wanting to partake.

"I know things have being tough this year for you with Esmerelda not being here" the woman started and Sybil looked down, feeling her chest hurt at the mention absence of her sister. It was still something that hurt her a lot.

"But I am positive this perfomance will be okay, maybe we can even invite her to come and watch" Miss Drill replied, trying to make Sybil feel better. Hoping if she knew Esmerelda would be there to support her she would be more confident.

"I don't want to let her down" Sybil replied sighing "Please can you ask Miss Cackle about not taking part, please?" Sybil said wanting to see Esmerelda, but worried about messing up in front of her. Miss Drill knew she was getting no-where fast so she nodded.

"Alright I will ask her but don't get your hopes up" the woman told her, not wanting the girl to think she was saying yes when she didn't have much chance of that happening.

Sybil nodded, knowing that was as best as she was going to get "Thank you Miss" Sybil replied just as the bell rang, Sybil rushed of to Spell Science, not wanting to be marked absent.

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As she was tired she kept messing up her work, she hoped Miss Cackle would listen to reason and let her sit out of the show, Esmerelda could still come and watch Ethel, and then she could still see her sister, so that didn't change.

Sybil nearly burst into tears right there and then in her classroom. Sometimes, when she remembered why her sister was not at school with her and the situation she was in currently she felt herself welling up, Ethel was even worse, you just had to say the name 'Esmerelda' and Ethel would struggle to contain her composure, of course the middle sister was feeling guilt as well as sadness for Esmerelda losing her powers, she had learned to late the consequences of her actions.

Sybil took a breathe, trying to clear her mind. She couldn't let herself get upset yet, she could cry later tonight if she wanted to, people always told her never to cry in public. Esmerelda had perfected that art, no-one had seen her shed a tear in public since the day she started at Cackles, Ethel was getting better at suppressing her tears, she still had her moments when she did cry in front of others, but as she got older, she was starting to keep her tears in. Sybil in all honestly, didn't cry much either, but unlike Esmerelda or Ethel she was not able to stop herself when she realised people were around her, but she knew she had to be brave right now, it was not the time for crying.

"What did you talk to Miss Drill about?" Clarice asked, sending the young girl out of her thoughts, she looked at her friend.

"I asked her about the performance ,She is going to ask Miss Cackle if I can sit out the show, but she said it's compulsory, so I probably won't be allowed" Sybil replied with a sigh, wishing she had the choice.

"Try not to worry Sybil, it will be fun" Beatrice replied and Sybil was frustrated, Beatrice would find it fun, it was right up her street, the girls in Sybil's class were smiling and joking, clearly still excited about the news they received yesterday. Sybil looked at her book and tried not to let her mind wander, she didn't have to worry about that right this second.

"You were brilliant at the talent show" Clarice said, not understanding why Sybil was so upset

"But the reputation of the school or my family was not at stake with that" Sybil replied, falling silent and looked down sadly.

Unfortunately for Sybil, she had inherited the worry trait Esmerelda had and the performance kept coming back to her mind, she didn't even know what her year group would be doing in the performance yet, she wished she did so she could practise it now. She was so distracted she caused her potion in potions to explode again, and Miss Hardbroom yelled at her, told her she was useless, compared her to her sisters and gave her detention, so it was a disappointing end to a day that had not being good to start with.

* * *

"Oh Sybil there you are" Miss Drill said as she spotted the girl coming out the classroom with Beatrice and Clarice. Sybil was covered in ash from the potion, and was not in a good mood. She just wanted to go and wash and then go to her room.

"I asked Miss Cackle and sorry Sybil I tried, she said you have to join in" the woman told the girl, deciding it was best to come out with it and not pretend she didn't know yet. Sybil looked down at the ground sadly as she walked in the corridor with her friends.

"Love the new look Sybil" Felicity said as she walked past with Ethel. Sybil looked up seeing the dark haired girl looking at her and smiling. Ethel looked at Felicity and the girl stopped smiling, knowing she was risking a curse for mocking the girl's sister, satisfied, Ethel turned to Sybil.

"Sybil for goodness sake, you are a Hallow, you need to stop making your potions explode" Ethel said, knowing exactly what had happened, as it wasn't the first time it had.

Sybil looked at her sister, and then her friends and Felicity, feeling her anger and frustration boil over, she had to be in the show, Esmerelda was powerless and not here and everything was going wrong and now Ethel was telling her she was letting down the family name.

Sybil couldn't take it anymore. She wasn't strong or brave like her sisters, she wasn't able to suppress her emotions and with that she burst into tears and covered her face, before running of to her bedroom.

"Sybil!?" Ethel said shocked, surprised her sister was so upset, Sybil was timid but didn't cry much so she was worried. The blonde looked at Felicity and glared.

"Well done" the girl said, blaming her for making fun of her sister and upsetting her. Ethel dropped her books in Felicity's arms and rushed after Sybil, her overprotective sisterly side coming out, she was worried about her, and as the oldest Sybil in the school she had to make sure she was okay, she didn't care in that moment if people saw her running after Sybil, she just had to make sure she was okay.


	3. Chapter 3 - Sister Chat

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Chapter Three

**Sister Chat**

Ethel followed Sybil into her bedroom and was not overly surprised to find her sister under the covers on her bed with her head buried in her pillow. Ethel looked at her and then closed her bedroom door, uttering a quick locking spell and silencing spell, she knew how nosy people were at Cackles and didn't want to be overheard.

"Sybil?" Ethel said walking over to her sister. The girl made no acknowledgement she had heard her so Ethel walked over and sat on her bed, gently touching her arm.

"Sybil what is the matter?" Ethel asked awkwardly. She was not good at comforting people, that was Esmerelda's job, but she was not here so she had to fill the roll of big sister right now.

"Go away, leave me alone" Sybil said into her pillow as she cried. Ethel sighed, wondering if she should give her some time to calm down.

"No I can't do that when you are upset, come on tell me what the matter is" Ethel said to Sybil, knowing something must have happened in order for her sister to be so upset.

"You won't get it" Sybil said knowing Ethel will just tell her to suck it up, there was no reason to cry but Ethel sighed.

"Let me try too" Ethel said and Sybil was not sure why Ethel was being so nice in that moment, she loved Ethel but her being nice was not normally a good sign, but she was glad to have one of her sisters there to talk to either way.

"This stupid performance at Halloween" Sybil said sitting up aggressively and making Ethel jump as she took her of guard. "I tried to get out of it but Miss Cackle won't let me, I don't want to be part of it, I will mess it up and be nervous and I don't want to let anyone down" Sybil told Ethel as she wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

"I know how you feel, Felicity keeps going on about this stupid show, I for one will be happy to get it over with" Ethel replied and Sybil looked at her confused before speaking.

"I thought you were excited? I saw you talking to Felicity" Sybil commented, wondering why Ethel would not be looking forward to it.

"I was pretending, why would I be happy about this? We all know Mildred Hubble will somehow be the star of the show and I will be the laughing stock, plus I have more important things on my mind than some stupid perfomance for the Great Wizard" Ethel replied and Sybil rolled her eyes, hating the rivarly between her sister and Mildred, it was annoying, but she knew it was not fair to say it was all one sided, the fact of the matter was Mildred got lucky all the time and ended up having things go right for her, at Ethel's expense, she didn't mean to hurt or annoy the blonde but she did and that was the fact of the matter.

"You are probably right, but then again we all know The Great Wizard is not keen on Mildred is he?" Sybil replied, knowing even if Ethel believed the teachers and students adored the girl with plaits, she couldn't pretend the Great Wizard did, he had never gave her special treatment and in fact found her irritating it would seem by the way he acted around her.

"Yes, he is not the one I am worried about, it is Miss Cackle, she doesn't even know I exist, I can't wait until this is done, why do you think you will mess up?" Ethel asked, looking at Sybil as she spoke. She changed the subject, not wanting to talk about Miss Cackle or Mildred Hubble anymore.

"I can barely fly in a straight line, I explode half my potions, the only thing I am any decent at is chanting and spells, but even they aren't perfect" Sybil told her sister, knowing that she was not the best student and that there was no point in pretending she was.

"You are a good witch Sybil, you just lack confidence, I can help you train in whatever it is you will be performing if you want me to" Ethel offered, smiling at her sister. Sybil though didn't know whether this was a game.

"What are you up to? Why are you being nice?" Sybil asked her. Sybil knew something must be in it for Ethel, Ethel was not evil, but her being nice never ended well.

"I am your sister? Do I need a reason?" Ethel asked, looking at Sybil insulted.

"Yes" Sybil said bluntly "Ethel whenever you are nice and help like this there is always something in the end for you, I don't want to play your stupid games if this is a game, you have already gotten rid of Esmie, I don't want to be next" Sybil said harshly. She knew it was a little harsh, but it was the truth. Ethel had tricked Esmie for her own gain and in the end it was Esmerelda who suffered. Sybil had forgiven Ethel for what she did, she loved her, and she could never hate her no matter what, but that doesn't mean she will just believe Ethel after what happened.

* * *

Ethel looked down, becoming sad and quiet at the mention of Esmerelda. She felt so guilty and sad about what happened. She knew she deserved the way Sybil was treating her, she was surprised Esmerelda and Sybil could still look at her, she was not sure she would of being so understanding if one of them had being the one to trick her, but the truth of the matter was there was nothing she could do, what was done was done, even witches could not time travel safely without messing up the present so she couldn't go back and stop herself from making that mistake.

"I shouldn't of said that….that was harsh" Sybil said, sitting there awkwardly in silence as the reality of Esmerelda being gone passed between the sisters. Ethel wiped her eye, a stray tear falling, Sybil knew that if Ethel had being with anyone else she would of immediately left and gone to her bedroom to cry, but with her sisters she didn't care if they saw her. Sybil knew in that moment she shouldn't of said what she did, Esmerelda being gone upset Ethel, even if she had being the one to cause it.

"Ethel I am sorry….I shouldn't of said that" Sybil said, biting her lip as Ethel sat there crying quietly to herself. Great now she had upset Ethel so they were both upset.

"No you are right" Ethel replied as she cried gently, not minding crying in front of Sybil. "I am a horrible person and what I did was cruel and evil and no-one should of ever spoken to me again, but I hate myself more than anyone else ever could" Ethel replied, the guilt eating away at her, but it was the truth, she knew people outside her family hated her, but not as much as she hated herself, Sybil touched her arm and sighed.

"No-one hates you because we all know you made a mistake, you didn't think things through properly" Sybil told her sister, knowing that Ethel had being caught up by the attention from Agatha, and had being foolish in her actions, not thinking what she was doing would actually cause so much harm.

"Oh I thought it through properly, I wanted her to lose her powers, so I could take her place as the one everyone admired, that was all I cared about, and it sounds selfish and horrible but it is the truth, the thing I didn't realise was I loved Esmerelda, I had being suppressing it all year, and I thought I had finally pulled away enough to not feel anything anymore, and what happened to her would just go over my head, but I was wrong, I realised that fact to late, and when it finally hit me I realised how big an idiot I am, I am so stupid" Ethel replied and Sybil shook her head.

"It isn't your fault really, mum always told us loving someone makes you weak, we were never shown love properly by her, it is no wonder you were confused" Sybil replied knowing Ethel's view on love and right and wrong came down to their parents and what they taught them, Ethel made the decision yes, but she didn't know, and still doesn't know, how to properly treat people she loves. She was never taught that in her younger years like everyone else so now was showing the effects of it.

"I wish I had lost my powers, I don't deserve them, but Esmie won't accept mine and I don't know of any ways to give her any other than that, I messed up with Esmerelda, I don't want to mess up again with you" Ethel told Sybil and Sybil nodded, knowing Ethel had offered in the summer to transfer her powers to Esmerelda but the eldest refused point blank. The guilt would properly be with Ethel forever about what she did, Ethel had certainty changed since she returned to school, she was quieter and her temper was worse than ever, but she was more like her old self, being nice to Sybil and looking after her, just like she used to before the darkness got into her mind and changed her.

"I am sorry Ethel, thank you I would appreciate the help, I just wish I was a better Hallow, I am not like you and Esmie, I am scared of letting down the family name by messing up the perfomance" Sybil admitted, knowing that was the underlying problem of her issues.

"Sybil, you are braver and stronger than you think, and you are a proper Hallow, I know mum and dad are always going on about what Hallows do and how they act but maybe it us a good thing you are not like that, you have friends, know how to have fun, I wouldn't worry to much about it Sybil, if Hallows are people that trick others for their own gain like mum and dad taught us, it is lucky you don't have that trait" Ethel told her, thinking of what Esmerelda would say in this moment.

"Yeah right, I am a disgrace" Sybil said looking at the floor sadly, as she knew she could never live up to the expectations put on her.

* * *

"No you aren't, you are loyal and brave and fight for what you believe in, remember what Esmerelda says? It is about who you are, not what you do, I think you are a great Hallow" Ethel told her.

"Thank you" Sybil said, touched by Ethel's words.

Sybil smiled and hugged her sister tightly. Ethel was still sniffling from crying but Sybil didn't mind she was just happy to be with her sister, she didn't believe her, she wasn't a proper Hallow but she felt more optimistic now Ethel had offered to help her and that her sister was not looking forward to this day either.

"I love you Ethel" Sybil said happily, knowing why Esmerelda could never stay angry at her sister for long. Ethel had problems but at moments like this when she was nice, you never wanted to be away from her.

"I…...l…...lll….love you too" Ethel said and Sybil was taken by suprise, having not expected to hear it back, Ethel never said it really, she always choked when she tried, she didn't know how to, so she knew in that moment she was genuine, moments like this where Ethel is vulnerable is when you see the true person she is behind her tough act, so in that moment Sybil knew she could trust her. The blonde felt much better, but was still not looking forward to the performance, the only thing she could hope for now was it was something she was decent at.


	4. Chapter 4 - Assignments

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Chapter Four

**Assignments**

After the talk she had with Ethel, Sybil did feel better knowing she had her support, but she was still nervous about Halloween, and on Friday she walked into their classroom feeling sick from fear, today was going to be the day they found out what exactly they would be doing for the performance, and Sybil had a bad feeling about it. Miss Drill was the one teaching them and waited for everyone to settle before she spoke.

"Right girls, Miss Cackle has decided that your year group will be doing a broomstick perfomance" Miss Drill told the girls. Some girls clapped they were so happy and Sybil swallowed, feeling even more sick, why out of everything did it have to be flying? Flying was her worse subject.

"There is going to be one girl who is a leader, she will lead the girls in the perfomance, to make it fair I have put all your names in a hat" Miss Drill said holding up her witches hat "I will pick the name out of the hat and we will see who the leader is" the woman said, shaking the papers inside before reaching in to grab one.

"I hope it is you Clarice, you are the best flier in our year" Beatrice told her, knowing Clarice would be perfect for the role. Clarice smiled awkwardly, she would like to be the leader but she didn't mind if someone else got the chance.

Dimity opened up the piece of paper and Sybil bit her lip and looked at her. There was thirty girls in her year, and she didn't mind which of them got the role as the leader, all she wanted was to fly in the background, so if she messed up it wouldn't be very noticeable.

"Sybil Hallow" Miss Drill said looking at the blonde girl with a smile.

No. Please no. Sybil didn't want to do this, she couldn't lead a group of witches in a flying performance when she could barely fly herself, but she had no chance to say anything as her friends were smiling and patting her on the back, happy for her.

"Well done Sybil" Clarice said to her, happy that one of her best friends got the part.

* * *

Sybil spend the rest of the lesson, not concentrating. Miss Drill was talking about the perfomance and what they would be exactly doing, but she couldn't concentrate, especially when the woman led them outside to start to practise. Sybil grabbed her broomstick and rushed over to the woman, knowing it was her last chance to say no.

"Miss Drill" Sybil said looking at her teacher, the woman smiled at her until she saw her expression.

"I don't want to be the leader, can you give it to someone else?" Sybil told her, scared enough about the display as it was without having to be the one to lead everyone.

"I know you are nervous Sybil, but we have weeks to practise you will be fine" Dimity told her, not wanting the girl to give up the part when it was an amazing opportunity.

"No I won't, please Miss I can't do it" Sybil said and the woman sighed, she knew Sybil had won it fair and square and it was nerves holding her back, but if she really didn't want to do it she couldn't force her too.

"Alright don't worry about it, we are just going to be practising flying in general today, but I will decide what to do later" Dimity told Sybil who sighed, knowing it was as good as she was going to get, she knew the woman was trying to help her but she didn't want to do it.

"Clarice will you take my place?" Sybil asked knowing Clarice was a much better flier than her

"No, you won it you should do it" Clarice said not wanting to take that from her friend.

"Bea?" Sybil now said, hoping one of them would step in.

"I would feel bad Sybil, I can't" Beatrice told her friend. Sybil sighed, wishing her friends would just take over. She took of flying, and realised how bad she still was, she kept going crooked, and she only moved out the way from the tree just in time so as not to crash. She could imagine the perfomance and knew everyone would be laughing at her, she shook, her nerves getting to her.

"Sybil, no further please" Miss Drill told her pupil. They had a certain area they could fly in and Sybil was drifting out of it, it was for their safety, because if they went to far the teacher couldn't see them, a bit like how young children can't go in the deep end in a pool unsupervised. Sybil moved so she was back in the correct area. This lesson had being a disaster.

* * *

"Why out of everything we could of done did our year have to get flying? And why did I have to get the star part?" Sybil complained as she walked down the corridors with her friends, feeling more stressed than ever, and by the look of it, it wasn't just her, she saw Mildred and Ethel arguing a short distance away.

"Seems it is not only you who isn't having a good day" Clarice said seeing the blonde and brunette shouting at each other. Sybil walked over, knowing she was taking a risk talking to Ethel when she was in such a bad mood, but she wanted to see if she would still help her, as she got nearer, she heard snippets of conversation.

"DON'T EVEN MENTION HER NAME MILDRED HUBBLE" Ethel exploded at the girl she was arguing with. The first years walked slowly up to them, wondering if this was a good idea. Mildred saw them and sighed before walking of with Maud and Enid.

"Hi….Ethel..." Sybil said, closing her eyes as she prepared for the shouting she was about to receive. Ethel turned and looked at her, and did indeed start shouting.

"HOW DARE SHE, SHE THINKS SHE HAS A RIGHT TO MENTION ESMERELDA'S NAME" Ethel shouted angrily. Beatrice and Clarice looked at Sybil and faked smiles.

"We will leave you to it Sybil" Clarice said, thinking them being there was only going to frustrate Ethel more, especially when this was a family thing. Sybil nodded and waited until they were gone before she looked at Ethel.

"What was she talking about Esmie for?" Sybil said, not exactly angry Mildred had said her sisters name, more just curious.

"SHE TOLD ME TO MAKE ESMERELDA PROUD AS SHE IS NOT HERE, IF SHE EVER SAYS THAT AGAIN!" Ethel shouted, her eyes shining with unshed tears. She clenched her fists, clearly wishing she could hurt Mildred.

Sybil shook her head, she knew Mildred had not meant it as a bad thing, but the girl should have realised it would be very sensitive for Ethel to talk about their sister and not to talk about it, although she had no siblings so maybe she just didn't understand.

"Calm down Ethie, I am sure she didn't mean anything by it, what are you doing for this Halloween performance anyway?" Sybil asked changing the subject, trying to calm Ethel down a bit so they could talk. Ethel was still fuming, but at least lowered her voice.

"Potions, animal transformation, I got chose to be the leader, which is great until you realise you are in change of Mildred Hubble of all people, she is going to mess up and make me look bad" Ethel said and Sybil sighed, she wished they had gotten potions.

"That is great Ethie, you will be amazing, you are lucky, we got flying so it is going to be a disaster, and I got chosen to be a leader too and I don't think Miss Drill is going to let me swap, will you still help me? You are the best flyer I know" Sybil said honestly, knowing Ethel was the best flyer in the school, properly better than the older kids.

Ethel smiled, clearly liking the compliment before she replied. "Alright meet me after dinner and we can start, now if you excuse me I have to go and decide what potion I should make for this display, Miss Hardbroom, wants us to choose" Ethel said with a shrug. Sybil smiled then, as a thought entered her head.

"Why don't you do the dragon transformation? You never got to show it properly at selection day, and it is a shame no-one got to see it, plus what is more impressive than a dragon?" Sybil commented, thinking it was a shame her spell had being messed up by Mildred. She knew she hadn't meant it but she knew it would of being amazing for everyone to see.

Ethel looked at Sybil and smiled, she had not even thought about that spell, she had bad memories with it so had not thought about using it, but maybe, just maybe, it would work. Maybe this time she would be able to show what the spell was supposed to be like two years ago.

"Sybil you are a genius!" Ethel replied kissing her cheek and beaming, before she ran off and Sybil stood there, glad she had made one of their performances work. Sybil was glad Ethel was going to help her, she knew she would need all the help she could get.


	5. Chapter 5 - Flying Lesson

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Chapter Five

**Flying Lesson**

Sybil was happier the rest of the day, she felt better now she had helped Ethel and she was going to be helped with her flying. Clarice and Beatrice were happy to see Sybil was more or less back to her cheery self and for once not worrying about the performance. The rest of her lessons went well for a change and Sybil was no longer stressed.

"I am glad you are happier Sybil, I told you not to worry about the performance, we are first years, it is not like anyone else is going to be that much better tat flying" Beatrice told her friend honestly, it was true after all that the year group will not be as good as the older pupils.

"Thanks, I feel much better, hopefully Ethel will be able to teach me something" Sybil said and Clarice and Beatrice looked at each other concerned. They knew Ethel was her sister but she could be…..impossible to deal with and bossy, they were worried all she would do is upset Sybil more and make her feel like she can't fly at all.

"Sybs….are you sure it is a good idea for Ethel to give you flying lessons?" Clarice asked out of concern for her friend. Sybil sat down at the table with her two best friends and grabbed her bowl of soup before she replied.

"I know she can be mean and bossy, but she is the best flyer in the school, I need to at least give her a chance" Sybil replied, dipping bread into her soup before eating it.

"Okay, just be careful Sybil, it might do more harm than good" Beatrice replied and Sybil nodded, glad her friends cared enough to show concern.

* * *

After dinner had finished, Sybil jumped up from the table and started to head towards the courtyard, Beatrice and Clarice said goodbye and told her they would be doing homework in Clarice's bedroom so to meet them later if she had time. Sybil said she will if the lesson doesn't last to long and then walked to the broom cupboard to collect her broomstick before she walked outside, buttoning up her travelling cloak as she went. As soon as she left the castle, the cold air hit her, it was the end of September in England and it was quite cold as usual for that time of year, but at least it was dry, flying in the rain was the worse. She better get used to it though, it wasn't going to be warmer in October when she would perform anyway.

Sybil stopped and looked around, wondering if Ethel was there yet. Suddenly, the blonde in question appeared, already flying and landed next to Sybil and the younger could not help but bite her lip, thinking her sister was about to have a go at her for keeping her waiting.

"Hey sis, you ready?" Ethel said and Sybil couldn't hear annoyance in her sister's voice, but that didn't mean she wasn't annoyed, after all Ethel was good at pretending.

"Yes….sorry Ethel….I hoped you weren't waiting long" Sybil said, thinking it might make Ethel nicer if she said sorry.

"Oh I always go for a fly after dinner, I like flying, it helps clear my head and you know I don't always sleep well, I always sleep better after I have flown" Ethel explained, and Sybil realised she probably didn't mind waiting then because this was part of her routine anyway.

"Oh...that is interesting, I wish I could fly as good as you, I don't get enjoyment out of it" Sybil admitted, knowing all she got was a feeling of fear and dread.

"Don't worry, I will help you, you are a good witch Sybil, you just need to learn to be more confident, it takes practise, it took me a while to learn as well" Ethel told Sybil trying to make her feel better. Sybil smiled and mounted her broomstick, preparing to learn and listen.

"Sybil don't do that, if you look at the ground as you take of you will feel dizzy, try to look forward, here look" Ethel said, showing Sybil on her broomstick the correct way to do it. Sybil looked at the ground, saw the ground flashing before her eyes, like how it looked in a car when you drove fast and made herself feel dizzy and sick and more fearful when she started flying. Ethel thought it was probably because she was afraid she was doing it, but it made it worse.

Sybil knew some people will tell her to not listen to a word Ethel says when she tries to teach her something, she is lying and wants to make you look bad, but it didn't make sense in this case, if Sybil messed up, the school would be embarrassed in front of the Great Wizard and that would include Ethel becoming embarrassed as well.

"Don't think so much about it Sybil" Ethel said as Sybil kept squeezing her eyes shut from fear, it took her a while to even get in the air because she kept becoming to scared to take off, but once she was finally up she flew slowly, feeling sick from nerves. She was so nervous she went of course in the wrong direction and started to scream as she headed for a tree, but then she felt her broomstick stopped and saw Ethel holding onto the handle.

"Sybil be careful, you were inches away from that tree" Ethel told her, luckily she had fast reflexes and had stopped her but just in time.

"Can we stop? I don't like flying, I don't want to do it anymore" Sybil said feeling herself growing upset. Ethel looked at her and shook her head.

"No we cannot. How do you ever expect to improve if you always give up Sybil" Ethel said, raising her voice a little. Sybil wasn't shocked, in fact she had being waiting for the moment Ethel would have a go at her.

"But I can't do it" Sybil said shaking her head and letting some tears fall as she did so.

"Yes you can, you are a Hallow, and you are brave, you just don't believe in yourself Sybil" Ethel told her and Sybil sighed.

She knew Ethel was trying to help her, but she was sure it was hopeless. Ethel was such a good flyer for one reason only. Esmerelda. She was the one who had taught Ethel for hours until Ethel could fly perfectly, of course they had lessons and their gran had taught them the flying basics, but Esmerelda taught Ethel to fly once she had being at Cackles and had picked up on more tactics. The eldest had tried to teach Sybil too, but Sybil was so terrified, it never worked because Sybil got to scared and wanted to leave halfway through. Esmerelda was not the type of person to shout at her in case she got upset, maybe that was a weakness for Esmerelda, because now Sybil was more scared than ever of flying. If Esmerelda couldn't teach her, she doubted Ethel could.

* * *

"Come on" Ethel said lowering her voice "You will be okay, I won't let you fall" Ethel told her sister and Sybil gulped, wanting to go in the castle and never fly again, but she stayed, she had to try, this was something she had to learn before Halloween. The girl took some deep breaths before nodding.

"Okay….I will do what you say" Sybil said, wishing Esmerelda was here to reassure her too, she missed her eldest sister.

"Alright, just try keep calm" Ethel told her, knowing this was going to take a long time to teach her, but she had done her a favour and she didn't want her sisters to hate her like everyone else, so she would keep working with her.

"Alright, let's start easy, I am going to show you how to position properly, don't hunch your back like that, keep straight, and don't grip the broomstick so tightly, just lightly" Ethel said helping her sister to sit on the broomstick properly. The girl had got into bad habits and now she had to fix them.

"I am sorry I am so useless at flying, I do try" Sybil said upset, thinking her sister having to correct everything was annoying her, she knew Ethel had a sort temper.

"Sybil I know you don't like heights, but it is okay we can fix it, we just have to keep at it" Ethel told her flying alongside her sister so she could watch her.

"I wish I was great at everything like you" Sybil replied with a sigh.

"It is called studying non-stop Sybil, I am not naturally clever, that is Esmerelda" Ethel said and Sybil looked sad at that, feeling the absence of her sister. Talking about Esmerelda clearly knocked Ethel back too as she suddenly stopped talking and just floated in mid-air, looking down sadly.

"I think that is enough for today, we have being at it for an hour and it is getting late" Ethel said as she followed behind Sybil as they landed, so she could watch her.

"You did well Sybil, if we keep this up you will be perfect in no-time, come on we best get inside before HB checks on us for lights out" Ethel said as the two sisters walked into the school, and put their broomsticks away. Sybil was happy with how her lesson had gone, but she still wasn't sure she would ever improve. Flying was so technical, she was not sure she would ever pick it up.


	6. Chapter 6 - Esmerelda

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Chapter Six

**Esmerelda**

Sybil continued to have lessons with Ethel every evening. Yes it was true, Ethel could be bossy and sometimes short-tempered at Sybil and shouted at her, but she wasn't as bad as Sybil thought she would be, plus her pushing her was making her want to be better and it was working, she wasn't exactly good, but she had improved, at least she could stay in the air for longer now.

"Sybil you need to listen! I keep telling you not to do that!" Ethel shouted at her. Sybil sighed as she spent her evening today with Ethel, the older blonde was in a bad mood, Sybil didn't know why and hadn't dared to ask, but it was clear Ethel was not happy today. Not that she ever was really in a good mood, but she was in a worse one than normal.

"Sorry Ethie….I am trying, I get scared and forget" Sybil said as she flew next to her sister. She had not had Ethel so annoyed at her since they started the lessons and she had a feeling something had happened in school today.

"Yes well try harder" Ethel told her, shouting at her again. The youngest looked down wondering how she could try harder than she was but knew not to take Ethel to seriously when she was in this mood.

"Sorry Ethel, can we go again?" Sybil said, trying to keep on Ethel's good side, she didn't want to annoy her so much she stopped teaching her, she needed these lessons, even with Ethel and her temper.

"One more time, then we have to go" Ethel told her and Sybil remembered this time what Ethel had told her and performed correctly, meaning she didn't get shouted at again. They both landed and started to head back into the school.

* * *

"I am sorry Ethel for messing up, I will try harder" Sybil said. She didn't think it was possible but Ethel was walking angrily, she didn't know people could walk angrily but Ethel could. Ethel took some deep breaths, trying to stop herself exploding at Sybil.

"It is fine….." Ethel said and Sybil knew that was as close to an apology as she could get.

"Ethel….are you okay….you seem a but more...tense than normal" Sybil said squeezing her eyes shut because she suspected Ethel was about to shout at her to mind her own business.

"It is nothing….I am fine" Ethel replied, not wanting to admit she was in a bad mood, even if it was obvious.

"Are you sure?" Sybil asked her. She didn't want Ethel to be suffering alone if there was something wrong.

"It is nothing you did, Miss Hardbroom is just so cruel sometimes" Ethel replied and Sybil looked at her confused, she knew that much already, sometimes the woman had yelled at her in a way that was plain nasty, but the woman was normally quite decent to Ethel because she didn't have to keep telling her the same thing over and over when it came to work.

"Why what happened?" Sybil asked, wondering what had gone down that she had missed.

"She has stopped my mirror calls for a month!" Ethel replied, now exploding and shouting as she was getting worked up thinking about it. She made a 'grr' sound clearly annoyed.

"Why what did you do?" Sybil asked, knowing she must have done something to be punished like that.

"Nothing!" What makes you think I did anything?" Ethel asked angrily. Sybil narrowed her eyebrows at her.

"Because you wouldn't of being punished if you hadn't of done anything" Sybil replied and Ethel sighed, knowing she was right.

"I turned Mildred's cauldron into chocolate, and it melted and the potion went everywhere, it was hilarious" Ethel told her sister as she sniggered to herself. Sybil shook her head. At least this prank of Ethel's was harmless, unlike some of her other ones, but she didn't think Ethel should be happy with herself for her bad behaviour.

"How did HB find out?" Sybil asked wondering what had gave Ethel away. She was surprised the woman had not blamed Mildred herself like usual.

"She heard me saying the spell" Ethel said, annoyed at herself for getting caught.

"Ethel, I thought you said you were going to try and behave?" Sybil said. Ethel looked at her and shook her head.

"I try to, but Mildred stresses me out, anyway normally HB gives me detention, but she said the worst punishment she can give me is stopping my mirror calls, for a whole month!? I already cleaned up the potions lab and she made me apologise to Mildred, why did she punish me so badly?" Ethel asked annoyed and upset.

Sybil did think it was a bit of an over-punishment, Ethel had done worst things before and barely got punished, but Ethel shouldn't of done what she had done, still, Sybil did feel sorry for Ethel, Miss Hardbroom had done it on purpose so she had no way of talking to Esmerelda, knowing that will hurt her most, and a month was just really mean.

"Sorry Ethel, I don't agree with you pranking Mildred, but you are right that is a harsh punishment, I will tell you what, you can come and talk to Esmie with me, you are helping me after all" Sybil said. Ethel didn't say anything, but looked like she was about to burst into tears at the kindness of her sister. Sybil just smiled and hugged her, knowing Ethel was not good when it came to words, but she knew she was touched.

* * *

The next day, Sybil sneaked Ethel into the mirror room when she saw it was clear, true Ethel wasn't going to be the one mirroring her, but she was sure HB had meant no contact at all, not use someone else's, mirror time Ethel was in a much better mood now and looked at Sybil.

"Thank you for doing this..." Ethel said gratefully, she had being upset she wouldn't be able to talk to Esmerelda for a month.

"Ethel we are sisters, it is fine, plus it will be nice for all three of us to be able to talk" Sybil told Ethel. Normally it was Ethel and Esmie or Sybil and Esmie so it would be nice that they could all talk together as sisters.

Sybil held up the card with Esmerelda's name on and the call started to connect. Esmie was in her bedroom, in the middle of reading when she realised she had company.

"Ethie? Sybie?" the girl said beaming. She had not seen them together in a while and she was glad they had both decided to call her. She closed her book and sat nearer to the mirror, giving them her attention.

"Ethel got in trouble so she had being banned from mirroring you, so I said she can join in on our conversation" Sybil said and Ethel glared at her, wondering why she told Esmerelda.

"Ethie" Esmerelda said shaking her head, knowing Ethel's behaviour was a big problem, but she was glad they were both there, talking to her.

"It isn't my fault HB is so harsh, anyway how are things?" Ethel asked, as if HB being harsh was an excuse for her bad behaviour but she was happy she got to talk to Esmie, she missed her honestly.

"Alright, I am pretty bored but they are not to bad" Esmie said looking down "And how are things with my two favourite people?" Esmerelda asked affectionately. It was true of course, anyone who had spent more than five minutes with the girl knew the girls sat in front of her were her universe.

"They are not bad" Sybil replied happily at what Esmie said before she kept talking."Esmie will you be able to come visit at Halloween? The school is doing a performance for the Great Wizard and we would love you to see us in it" Sybil asked, getting to the main reason for this particular mirror call. Esmie smiled but it quickly dropped.

"I don't know if I will be allowed" Esmerelda replied, wondering if she will get thrown out the school for not being a pupil.

"Miss Cackle already agreed to it, so the teachers won't a problem" Ethel replied and Esmerelda smiled again, feeling much better now she was reassured.

"Then of course I will come, I would love to watch you both, what exactly are you doing?" Esmerelda asked, wondering what the performance was.

"My year is doing flying" Sybil said "Ethie is giving me lessons" Sybil replied and Esmerelda looked at her sisters shocked, she thought they would of killed each other by now doing something like that, but she suspected without her there they were trying not to fight as much, they were close really and only had each other to lean on.

"We are doing a potions display, but I am not telling you anything else it is an suprise" Ethel said and Esmerelda moaned.

"Aww you are going to make me wait?" Esmerelda said and Ethel nodded.

"Sorry sis, but we want you to be surprised" Ethel said. She smirked, she knew her sister hated surprises but she wanted to see her reaction when she saw the performance totally blind.

They spoke a whole longer, just about general sister stuff before they had to leave. The bell was about to ring, and it had gone to quickly. All three girls turned sad but Esmie looked at her sisters and spoke.

"Chin's up you two, I love you both" she said blowing them kisses as the mirror call ended, leaving the younger two sat there, feeling an emptiness inside them that had being there all year.


	7. Chapter 7 - Improving But More Practise

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Chapter Seven

**Improving But More Practise Still Needed**

The sisters found themselves getting into a routine. Every morning they would mirror Esmerelda, their chats started to become a daily thing and they all loved their morning chats, it stopped all three of them being so lonely and made them more optimistic, and then each evening after dinner they would go flying together.

"You are doing so much better" Ethel told her sister honestly. The girl was much better at flying now than she was before they had started, now she knew exactly what she was doing she was much more confident.

"I finally feel like I will be able to perform without embarrassing myself or the school" Sybil said knowing how much she had improved. She was actually enjoying flying now, and she started to understand why it relaxed Ethel.

"How is your potion going for the transformation spell?" Sybil asked her sister. She knew her sister could do the potion perfectly, but she also knew she had been upset recently. The way a with was feeling could affect their performance, magic was affected by mood.

"I have it ready, now all I need is for Mildred not to take my ingredients and make me not turn me into a worm instead and it will be fine" Ethel replied, still bitter about the whole incident that had turned her and Mildred into rivals.

"I am sure she won't be so stupid as to do that again, Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom will be watching anyway" Sybil replied, knowing it wasn't much reassurance as the two women seemed to miss everything in front of them no matter who it was to do with, but it was something.

"I must as well have the wall watch over me for the fat lot of good them hopeless two will do" Ethel replied, her eyes turning angry as she talked about her teachers.

"Maybe they will take notice" Sybil said knowing Ethel was upset as she felt, rightly or wrongly, that they treated Mildred differently and pushed her aside. Sybil tried to not have much to do with the two teachers so she honestly didn't have an opinion but she knew that her sister was seeking their attention and had being since she started at the school.

"I couldn't care less about being noticed by them two, I am pass the stage of caring, they never even bothered to ask me how I am after what happened to Esmerelda or how she is, and after that I lost any last respect for them" Ethel said to her sister truthfully.

* * *

Sybil looked at her sister and sighed. She knew a lot of people thought Ethel had no right to be upset about her elder sister's lack of magic, after all she was the one who had tricked Esmie into giving them to the evil Agatha Cackle to begin with, but that did not mean the girl was not allowed to realise her mistakes or feel guilty. Sybil knew Ethel better than most people, she had lived in the same house as her since the day of her birth, and she could now tell Ethel was a different person than she was the year previously.

When they were very young, Ethel had being much kinder and didn't have much of a temper, but bitterness and anger and hurt had changed her into the angry bully that people knew today, even so, apart from the incident with Esmerelda last year, her pranks were pretty much harmless and childish, she was like a firework ready to explode though, she didn't want to be near anyone or have anything to do with her sisters.

Now Ethel had seemed to go the complete opposite, now she was more clingy and wanted to be around her sisters much more, and her behaviour had grown much worse, now her pranks and schemes were dangerous and caused a lot of hurt to people, and the funny thing is no one seemed to notice this change in Ethel, even though she clearly had moments when she was quiet and withdrawn, because she was so heartbroken over what had happened, but everyone was blind to it and expected her to just get on with things, thinking what happened won't affect her. Ethel had turned her back against most people in the school after that, except Sybil.

"I don't blame you" Sybil said "They haven't spoken to me about Esmerelda either" Sybil replied. She had expected someone to sit her down when she started and ask her how she felt after what happened at the school, if she was scared of anything and what they could do to help settle her in. After the fire, Miss Cackle had told her she would talk to the girl, but Sybil never heard anything else about it after that.

"You have to be their favourites for them to take an interest, so why bother trying to impress them? They have never liked me, no I don't want to perform well for them, I want to perform for the Great Wizard and you and Esmerelda, I don't care what anyone else thinks" Ethel replied, knowing she was only going to get hurt if she got her hopes up of anyone being interested in how she performed. She knew most people in the school loved to see her fail, and she was not going to concern herself with them type of people anymore.

"Maybe that is for the best" Sybil nodded in reply because she didn't want Ethel to be hurt anymore. Sybil wondered in the back of her head if Ethel could ever be truly happy again, like she was when she was younger. Her sister was misunderstood, even Sybil herself didn't fully understand and that was something no-one seemed to see and if they did they ignored it, thinking it wasn't their place to get involved.

* * *

As well as having flying lessons with Ethel, Sybil had her weekly sessions with the other students. Now they were actually practising the actual performance. As Sybil was the leader she would be taking of first and the other girls would follow suit, they would fly in a circle before all flying in perfect sync, it was hard, because some girls would be to fast and others to slow, some to far from the one in front and some too near, but at least Sybil had not crashed into a tree yet.

"Girls work as a team, you all look like you are flying separately and like this is not a group piece"" Miss Drill shouted up to them as they practised today, at the very end of the performance, before they went to land, each girl would take one hand of the broomstick before landing gratefully to the ground, that was the part Sybil still struggled with and she ended up losing her balance.

"AHHH NO NO" Sybil shouted as she crashed right into the bins.

"Sybil!?" The young blonde heard her best friends say with a worried tone, they rushed over to help her up, hoping she wasn't hurt. Miss Drill pushed through the crowd to reach her student.

"Sybil are you alright?" the woman asked her, hoping her pupil had not hurt herself. Sybil was annoyed and upset with herself.

The girl nodded, she didn't feel any pain anywhere, the only thing she had really hurt was her pride.

"I am sorry Miss Drill, I have being training really really hard" Sybil said. She thought she was past the stage of crashing so she was angry at herself.

"I know you have Sybil, I have seen how much you have improved over the last few weeks" Miss Drill told her and Sybil nodded and sighed.

"It is when I take my hand of the broomstick, I lose my balance, I don't know if I will ever be able to do it" Sybil said sadly. She was fine at flying now but as soon as she removed her hand of the broomstick she became messed up.

"It is alright Sybil I think that is enough for today" Miss Drill said as the girls started to head back in the castle but she stopped Sybil.

"How is the lessons with Ethel going?" the woman asked her. Sybil gasped, she wasn't supposed to know. The teachers would be mad if they told them because they weren't supposed to be out by themselves at that time, unless they had some sort of duty to do.

"I have seen you when I have being busy putting the equipment away, I hope Ethel is not working you to hard" the woman said. Unlike the other teachers she did not hate the girl but she knew she could be rather mean at times, even to her sisters and she had a problem with bossing other people about.

"No she is great Miss, she has made me so much more confident, we do practise the one handed flying too and it is always the same, I always end up losing control" Sybil said sadly, her fears resurfacing.

"You will get there Sybil, Miss Cackle won't allowed me to give you one on one flying lessons, but I know you and Ethel will work it out" she told the young girl.

"What if I can't learn it properly?" Sybil said fearfully. Miss Drill smiled and shook her head.

"A few weeks ago you were begging me to sit out because you couldn't fly in a straight line without become scared, you are smart Sybil and it just takes practise. Ethel is a fantastic flyer and if she can get you in the air without being scared, I trust her to be able to help you fly one handed for a few seconds" Miss Drill told the girl, trying to reassure her.

Sybil smiled, knowing she was right. Ethel teaching her had strangely done her a world of good, they had really bonded over it and Ethel was being nicer to her because of it, Miss Drill was right. She could do it, she just had to believe.


	8. Chapter 8 - Confronting HB

A/N: I have always felt the events in the inspection episode upset Sybil more than she made out so this is how this came about!

* * *

Chapter Eight

**Confronting HB**

Sybil kept practising her one handed flying but everytime she panicked and ended up crashing, or nearly crashing if Ethel could stop her. She was annoyed with herself, everything else she was okay at now but she couldn't do the one handed flying.

"Oh it's hopeless, I can't do it" Sybil said, not feeling very brave at all in that moment after a whole lesson of her failing to fly one-handed. Ethel flew next to her and glared.

"Sybil Hallow, don't say you can't, our family is always going through so much rubbish and we are able to get through it, you can do anything, you are strong and brave deep down" Ethel told her, hating how her little sister thought she was hopeless at this and giving up, it was not in her nature.

"I don't want to let Esmerelda down…...she doesn't even have magic anymore…..I don't want her to think I am taking advantage of mine by not using them to my full potential, I don't want to disgrace our family name" Sybil said starting to cry softly to herself. Ethel was worried, despite being scared and fearful Sybil didn't cry much, she had being acting off since yesterday and when she asked her why she changed the subject. Ethel racked her brain for what could of upset yesterday and thought of one conclusion.

Yesterday the school had being inspected by Miss Doomstone, Sybil and her friends had given Miss Hardbroom a potion that made her nice and the inspector had nearly choked to death on a frog and then to top it off Miss Cackle had being fired.

"Are you upset because of the inspection? I know the school nearly got closed down and Miss Cackle got fired….but there is nothing we can do about that Sybil, I still don't know why you are so upset about it, she has never done anything for you" Ethel replied, wondering why the girl had taken it so badly.

"It's not that…..Miss Hardbroom yelled at me" Sybil cried into her hands. Ethel hovered in the air just looking at her younger sister, the woman yelled at everything and everyone for no reason, she therefore knew that whatever the woman had said to her had really upset her.

"Just ignore her, she would yell at the floor for making her shoes to loud if she wouldn't look crazy" Ethel replied. Sybil shook her head and cried more.

"I don't care about her shouting, it is what she said, I accidentally made my potion explode and then she told me that Esmerelda lost all her powers and I don't know what to do with mine and then said I was a disgrace to the name of Hallow" Sybil said crying, the words the woman had said to her still stinging in her chest.

"She said what!?" Ethel shouted, feeling the rage inside her already growing.

"She is right I am a disgrace, I am the one who should of lost my magic, Esmie is to talented not to have any" Sybil said as she cried more, not knowing why she was so upset, all she knew was it had hurt her because deep down she knew that was her worse fear, not being a proper Hallow.

"Right, let's sort this" Ethel said as she started to fly lower. Sybil saw her sister and followed her, not bothering to wipe her eyes.

"Where are you going?" Sybil asked, wondering what Ethel was going to do. The older blonde landed swiftly on the ground and Sybil followed suit, having a bad feeling Ethel was going to do something she will regret.

"Ethel where are you going? Ethel come back" Sybil said, her heart pounding from fear. Ethel didn't listen but walked down the corridor turning her head from side to side, clearly looking for something or someone, just then Miss Hardbroom walked out the dinner hall and Ethel walked over to her, broomstick still in hand, her eyes dark with anger.

* * *

"OI MISS HARDBROOM" Ethel shouted. Sybil flinched. She knew Ethel was about to have a go at the woman, oh no, her sister would end up getting herself expelled for attacking the woman.

"Ethel you are on school premises, no shouting!" the stern teacher told the girl, but Ethel didn't listen.

"What is this I have being hearing about you telling Sybil she is a disgrace to the Hallow name?" Ethel shouted. Sybil saw in the corner of her eye that Enid was there and she was smirking in the corner watching and then she ran off, clearly to tell everyone about the fight Sybil thought. Miss Hardbroom looked at her student and spoke sternly.

"Your sister is constantly making potions explode, I am sick of her not applying herself, Esmerelda lost all her magic and Sybil can't make a simple potion" the woman replied annoyed, she didn't appreciate Ethel having a go at her.

"DON'T talk about Esmerelda like you care, you haven't asked about her all year, you only liked Esmerelda when her grades were making Cackles look good and what right do you have to say Sybil is a disgrace, are you a Hallow? No. So how do you know what would disgrace our family" Ethel shouted.

By this point a fairly large crowd had gathered to watch the fight, as after all there was not normally a big fight like this between Miss Hardbroom and a student.

"Ethel you are making much to big a deal out of this, now if you carry on you will have detention for a month, that is a promise" Miss Hardbroom said in a deadly voice, trying not to shout because she knew students were gathered.

"A big deal? I am sticking up for my little sister, she was crying her eyes out because YOU told her she was nothing, no-one makes my sister cry….no, one" Ethel told the woman not caring who she was talking to, she had to know it wasn't acceptable. The girl then looked at the woman with a deadly glare, normally she was angry but right now she was raging mad.

"Ethel Hallow I am warning you!" Miss Hardbroom told her, wishing the girl would shut up and drop it, she had told Sybil of for making the same stupid mistakes over and over.

"Oh do what you want, expel me, don't let me in the performance, I don't care, but you can't say that to my sister and not apologise, say sorry to her now!" Ethel shouted. Knowing without Esmerelda here she had to be the one to stick up for Sybil.

"Remind me never to insult Sybil in front of Ethel" Maud whispered to Mildred who smiled. Ethel always had a temper but right now HB was lucky she was still standing and had not being thrown into the wall by magic with how angry Ethel was.

"Ethel stop this behaviour this instant!" Miss Hardbroom told the girl, thinking she was disgracing herself with the way she was speaking to her.

"If you don't apologise to Sybil right now I will mirror Esmerelda and tell her what you said to Sybil and Esmerelda might have a heart of gold but trust me, if you mess with Sybil or I you will know about it, if you think I am bad, wait until you see Esmerelda angry" Ethel threatened knowing that if she went and mirrored Esmerelda and told her what happened, she would be at the school and would have to refrain from killing Miss Hardbroom. Her scary, deadly, Hallow side only emerged when someone upset her sisters, but she was ten times worse than Ethel when she was angry.

"You will tell a girl who no longer has magic that she has to come and tell me off for upsetting Sybil?" Miss Hardbroom asked, not understanding how Esmerelda could do anything to her when she no longer has magic.

Ethel chuckled before she replied, the woman was so deluded sometimes it was funny.

"Miss Hardbroom, Esmerelda does not need magic in this situation, if I tell her that you upset Sybil she will become angry enough she won't need magic, trust me miss, you don't want to see an angry Esmerelda" Ethel explained, Miss Hardbroom glared at her student before speaking.

"Don't threaten me, I am your teacher Ethel Hallow" the woman told her, angry at the situation.

"Which doesn't give you a right to tell my sister she is not worth her family name, now apologise or I am mirroring Esmerelda, and trust me, you want to make sure word never gets to her about this" Ethel told the woman. She knew she was being a bit harsh but HB was always harsh and had used the thing she knew would upset her most against her.

* * *

Miss Hardbroom didn't want to give in to the stupid rude girl, but the last thing she needed was Esmerelda being told and coming to the school to tell her off, so with that she gritted her teeth and looked at Sybil.

"I am sorry Sybil" the woman said and Ethel smiled

"There, that wasn't so hard was it?" Ethel said, and Ethel looked around seeing a lot of people watching now with their mouths opened, shocked. Wondering how she had got Miss Hardbroom to apologise.

"Come Sybil, we have practise to do" Ethel told her and she pulled Sybil's arm who followed her down the corridor. They walked for a moment before Sybil stopped and grabbed Ethel, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Thank you" she said. She was overwhelmed and shocked Ethel had done that for her. Ethel smiled and hugged her back tightly.

"That is what older sisters are for" Ethel explained and Sybil knew Esmerelda would of done the same, so maybe she wasn't perfect but her sisters loved her.


	9. Chapter 9 - An Idea

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Chapter Nine

**An Idea**

Sybil was currently standing outside Miss Cackle's office nervously, after what had happened, with Ethel having a go at HB the headteacher had called her to the office, no doubt to punish her.

"What if she gets expelled?" Sybil cried at the thought, she had lost one of her sisters, she couldn't lose another, it would physically kill her.

"I am sure they won't be that harsh" Clarice said, looking at her friend worried. Her and Beatrice were waiting with their friend as the girl was upset.

"Why do you think no-one normally talks to HB like that? Because they know how much trouble they will get in, after everything Ethel has done she might of pushed her to far" Sybil replied openly crying now. She didn't care what people thought of Ethel, she was her sister and she loved her and didn't want her to leave.

"If they do expel her we will start a protest, it won't be fair, HB was the one in the wrong, she was horrible to you" Beatrice replied unrealistically.

Sybil knew if she walked up to someone like Enid and told her Ethel had being expelled and they were going to protest it so she could stay and asking if she could join in, she would not be willing to help, and neither would most people. They would be thrilled to get rid of Ethel.

"You would really help me like that?" Sybil asked, knowing her friends did not like Ethel anymore than any of the other students did.

"She is your sister, I won't pretend to like the way she behaves but I will do it for you as I know it would destroy you if she left too, plus technically this time Ethel was just defending you and I think she was in the right, she just went about it wrong" Clarice replied.

Sybil hugged her friends tightly. She couldn't believe they would help her like that. She knew they didn't like Ethel, it touched her that they would help her to keep Ethel at the school despite that.

"I am so lucky to have best friends like you two" Sybil said smiling as she kept hugging them. She was glad to have their support.

Just then there was a banging noise. Ethel stormed out of Ada's office and walked straight past her sister and her friends, Sybil suspected she was upset and didn't want Beatrice and Clarice to see. Sybil let go of her friends and spoke quickly.

"I best check on her, see you later" Sybil said as she ran after her sister, knowing she would be going to her room if she was upset. She took the stairs quickly, all sorts of things running through her mind, would she find Ethel packing? She hoped not.

* * *

Sybil nervously knocked on her sisters bedroom door, she felt sick as she did so, having a bad feeling.

"Go away!" Ethel shouted but Sybil pushed the door opened and walked in.

Ethel was lying on her side on her bed, Nightstar was happily next to her. _Well at least she isn't packing_. Sybil told herself.

"What happened?" Sybil asked closing the door and walking to Ethel, who was trying hard not to cry.

"I hate them women! I hate this place!" Ethel shouted losing her temper and throwing a book. Sybil kept her distance, not wanting to be hit. Ethel often threw things when she was having a tantrum, that was probably why Esmie had being so good at magic, she had had to practise stopping things from hitting her on the head.

"Did you get expelled?" Sybil asked, feeling her own throat tightening as she got upset as the words left her mouth.

"No, Cackle is not brave enough to expel anyone, I swear you could kill someone and she would let you stay" Ethel replied bitterly. Sybil therefore did not understand why she was upset when all she was relieved. Ethel should be happy she was allowed to stay.

"Then why are you annoyed? At least you get to stay" Sybil said, thinking Ethel should be looking at the good side.

"Miss Cackle has kicked me out of the perfomance, I know I said I didn't care about it and I really don't, but Esmerelda is coming to see and I wanted her to see me do something good for a change, now all she is going to see is me sitting in a room not allowed to join in" Ethel said as tears fell and she wiped them.

Sybil was upset for her sister. Miss Cackle obviously had known that it would upset her the most because Esmerelda was coming and she wanted Ethel to have a punishment that would really upset her. Sybil though did think it was harsh. Yes Ethel shouldn't of yelled at HB but Miss Hardbroom shouldn't go around telling young girls they are a disgrace and stupid, it worked both ways. Sybil bet HB was not being punished for what she did.

"Oh Ethel….don't be upset, you can sit next to Esmie and watch the performance, it will be fun, you will get to spend loads of time with her" Sybil told Ethel, trying to cheer her up about the situation, knowing they could have loads of quality time together.

"And remind her that she has more reason to be disappointed in me" Ethel replied with a sigh. Sybil could see she was now over her anger and was just sad so she went and sat next to her.

"I am sorry, if I wasn't such a hopeless Hallow you wouldn't have to stick up for me" Sybil replied, blaming herself. If she hadn't of exploded her potion, HB wouldn't of yelled at her and therefore Ethel wouldn't had a reason to of yelled at HB.

"Don't say that about yourself, you are NOT hopeless, I wanted to stick up for you, but at least one of us still gets to have Esmie see us" Ethel replied. Sybil hugged her sister and sighed, knowing Esmie was coming especially to see them and it would be such a shame Ethel won't be performing, she hugged her sister tighter as an idea came into her mind.

* * *

Sybil rushed to Beatrice's bedroom and walked in without knocking. The idea she had was now going through her mind at top speed. It had come when she was consulting Ethel and she knew it was one she had to see through.

"Sybil are you okay? Is Ethel alright?" Clarice asked seeing her friend was flustered and hoping she was not upset because Ethel was leaving.

"She hasn't being expelled, but Miss Cackle kicked her out of the perfomance" Sybil told her friends, out of breathe from running.

"What? That isn't fair, we have all being practising for weeks" Beatrice replied, thinking it was an unfair punishment. How did Ethel yelling at HB have anything to do with a school perfomance? The girl wondered in her head.

"I know, but it got me thinking about what you said earlier Bea, about the protesting" Sybil said smiling.

"What you think it could work to get her back in the perfomance?" Clarice asked looking at her friend curiously.

"Yes, it might make them listen" Sybil said, thinking it might just work.

"But there is only three of us, they will never listen to us, we are just first years" Beatrice replied. She had suggested it without thinking it through before, she didn't think they would actually be using the idea. It had being something she had said to stop Sybil from being so upset.

"So what? My sisters always say we need to stick up for what is right, and that is what I am going to do, they always stick up for me, now it is my turn" Sybil said, stubborn and determined.

"But Sybil it might make it worse, they could punish Ethel worse if we annoy them to much" Clarice replied logically, knowing annoying HB more probably wasn't wise.

"We have to try, we can't just do nothing, Ethel has being working hard for this perfomance, and it is not fair they are punishing her like this when Esmerelda is coming especially, I know it might not work, but I am going to try" Sybil said as she grabbed some of the paper Bea had on her bed for a project they were doing and sat down, starting to draw a sign.

"Are you sure you want to do this Sybil?" Beatrice asked. Knowing this could just result in Sybil being kicked out the perfomance too and then Esmerelda would be coming to see no-one perform.

"Yes, I have to, my sister got in trouble for me, and it is about time we finally get to see her transformation, no-one got to see it at selection day, but they will this time" Sybil said as she kept colouring a sign, feeling nervous but excited at what she was about to do.


	10. Chapter 10 - Protest

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Chapter Ten

**Protest**

The next morning Sybil was up early and quickly got ready before she went on knocked on Beatrice's door and then Clarice's. The two girls came out, already in uniform like their friend and holding the signs they had made the night before.

"Hopefully all the teachers will be in the staffroom by now" Sybil said as she started to walk down the quiet corridors.

It was a weekend and fairly early, so the girls were not up yet, except the three who were walking downstairs. They each took a sign, nervous about what they were about to do.

"Last chance Sybs, are you sure about this?" Clarice said. Sybil nodded and went and stood in front of the staffroom door, all three girls looked at each other, wondering who should speak first.

"I'll do it" Beatrice said, being the most daring of her friends. She held up the sign and then starting to speak.

"LET ETHEL PERFORM, LET ETHEL PERFORM" She shouted twice before Clarice and Sybil joined in, holding up their signs.

Clarice's sign said 'PUNISHMENT UNFAIR' Sybil's said 'LET HER PERFORM' and Beatrice's said "SHE DESERVES A CHANCE'. The girls all held up the signs as they chanted.

Of course, after a few seconds the staffroom door opened to see what was going on. Ada and Hecate were stood there in the doorway and looked at what was happening curiously.

"What on earth?" Miss Hardbroom asked as she saw there three first years stood there and already becoming annoyed.

"Ethel's punishment is unfair! Throwing her out of the perfomance is unjust!" Clarice replied, holding the sign higher and nearly whacking Miss Hardbroom in the face.

"Ethel was punished accordingly, she has no right to threaten her teachers" Miss Cackle replied, not going down the route of anger straight away like Miss Hardbroom was.

"And Miss Hardbroom has no right to insult Sybil personally but she did that, Ethel was sticking up for Sybil because she was upset" Beatrice replied, glaring at the woman.

"Two wrongs don't make a right!" Miss Cackle told the girls, thinking this was ridiculous.

"Ethel is really upset, Esmie is coming especially, we are not saying not to punish her but just change the punishment to something else" Sybil replied bravely.

"Your sister has a temper, I don't want to risk her exploding when the Great Wizard is here, this is not only something that will affect Ethel" Miss Hardbroom shouted, her anger only growing.

"Ethel has practised just as much as the rest of us, she doesn't deserve to be kicked out of it" Sybil went on, not listening to HB.

"I am not changing the punishment" Miss Cackle said as she did not feel like she had done anything wrong.

"Now if you don't leave this instant the three of you will be in detention for a month" Miss Hardbroom said but Ada touched her arm and whispered something before they stepped back into the staffroom and closed the door, clearly deciding ignoring them was the best form of action.

"LET HER PERFORM, LET HER PERFORM, LET HER PEFORM" The three girls shouted as loud as they could, hoping eventually they would give in.

* * *

The girls were still protesting when the rest of the students started to awaken. Hearing the nosie, a lot of girls went to investigate and soon the corridor was packed with curious onlookers.

"What are you doing?" Mildred asked looking at the first years confused.

"Protesting, HB and Cackle threw Ethel out the performance for yelling at HB!" Clarice replied, looking at the brunette girl.

"Ethel won't be there to boss us around? Wooo party!" Enid said putting her fist in the air but then she fell silent when she saw Sybil glaring at her. The girls went back to their protesting and more people started asking questions.

"How long have you being here?" Maud asked them with wonderment

"Two hours" Beatrice said. "We started outside the staffroom but they transferred so here we are" the girl said as they were now outside the dining hall. Some girls who were not interested started to walk in the hall so that they could go and eat, the first years ignored them and went on.

"LET HER PERFORM, LET HER PERFORM" They shouted, hoping soon the women gave in.

Just in that moment Ethel pushed through the crowd, looking as confused as everyone else as to what was going on.

"What on earth is happening? Why is there shouting?" the girl asked looking at her sister and friends confused.

"We are protesting Ethie, it isn't fair that you were kicked out the perfomance, we are going to protest until they let you back in" Sybil said smiling at her older sister.

Ethel honestly was very touched in that moment. That her little sister would do something like this for her when she could be a right horrible person to her at times. She blinked to stop any tears that were threading to escape, but as touched as she was it didn't take long for her to come to her senses.

"Sybie, honestly I am touched and thankful, but this is completely pointless, they aren't going to back down" Ethel told her knowing the teachers would not change their minds just because they had made some signs.

"Yes they will, it will just take time, trust me Ethel" Sybil said smiling at her as she saw her eyes were shiny with tears and how grateful she actually was.

"I don't want you to get in trouble" Ethel replied, worried all that would happen is the girls would be kicked out as well.

"It is worth trying, don't you always say Hallows don't give up?" Sybil quoted, not caring if she got punished for this in the process.

"Well yes but..." Ethel said but Sybil cut her off to carry on protesting. All the students had now left because they were hungry.

"You will miss breakfast" Ethel commented, not wanting her sister to starve because of this.

"Don't worry, we thought ahead, we brought food" Clarice said holding up a bag of different sorts of snacks. Ethel smiled and went to stand next to Sybil putting her arm around her, joining in the protest.

* * *

Hours went by, they protested through, lunch, dinner and into the evening as people were going to bed, Ethel was wondering if they were planning on staying there all night but she didn't have a chance to ask because just then she heard a door slam.

Miss Hardbroom was walking towards them with a face like thunder. Ethel gulped, she had never seen the woman so angry before.

"Detention for a month and none of you will be part of the perfomance" the woman said fed up of them.

"Doesn't make a difference, we aren't stopping" Sybil said, knowing they had to do this until they gave in.

"You are just wasting your time" Miss Hardbroom told them but Sybil shrugged.

"We aren't stopping" the girl said feeling so brave in that moment and she continued to shout. Miss Cackle appeared by HB, the lines of her mouth thin in anger.

"Oh for Merlin's sake, Ethel you can be in the performance, just stop with this craziness" the woman said giving in and the students all looked at one another amazed. HB looked at her amazed at what she had just said.

"But Miss Cackle" Hecate questioned her annoyed she had just gave in.

"I have a school to run, I can't be dealing with this and the Great Wizard will not be happy if we have to call him again" she said before turning back to Ethel and the girls. "You will receive detention for a month and you can be in the performance but if you so much as look at someone wrong you will be leaving the school" Miss Cackle said fed up of Ethel and her awful behaviour. Ethel gulped but nodded. She wasn't sure what HB would consider a bad look.

The teachers transferred and the sisters hugged, Ethel whispered a grateful thank you to her sister, and Sybil snuggled in before speaking.

"We all did it, you helped Ethie" she said. The youngest was chuffed. Ethel could perform and she could not wait for it to happen, she was ready to see this transformation, like everyone else.


	11. Chapter 11 - Esmerelda

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Chapter Eleven

**Esmerelda**

Sybil was not normally one to enjoy the sound of her alarm going of in the morning, but today when she heard it she beamed and jumped out of the bed as quick as she could, feeling giddy with excitement she went to dress and wash, wanting to do it as quick as she could.

The performance at Cackles was actually the next day, but Esmerelda was arriving today. Sybil had no idea how but Esmerelda had asked Miss Drill if she could stay over to catch up with her sisters and somehow the woman managed to convince Miss Cackle to let her have a sleepover. Sybil didn't know and didn't ask how she had done it, but she had and she was so excited.

After she had dressed and washed, she rushed down the corridors quickly, wanting to get to the front door for her sisters arrival. Climbing down the stairs that led to the said door she saw a familiar blonde ponytail in front of her, and she knew Ethel was waiting for Esmerelda too.

"Morning Ethel" Sybil said causing Ethel to turn around and smile at her, she was to happy today to pretend to not be happy about Esmerelda visiting.

"Hey Sybs, she should be here soon" Ethel replied, staring at the clock on the wall like her life depended on it. Sybil was glad everyone was going to have breakfast because it meant they will have some privacy without big crowds gathered.

"Esmie is never late, so most definitely" Sybil replied going to stand next to her sister.

She had no idea why but she felt nervous, it was silly. She loved Esmerelda and she was happy to see her but she supposed she was just worried that her sister would be down like she was a few months ago, or she would say the wrong thing, but she was more excited than anything.

"You nervous too?" Ethel asked sending Sybil out of her thoughts. Sybil suspected Ethel was feeling the same and nodded.

"Yes, it is silly really" Sybil said knowing being nervous about seeing their amazing big sister was strange but she was sure it would go away once she was here.

Just then there was a knock at the door and the sisters ran to it quickly, unable to wait to see their sister. Ethel got there first and opened it with a beaming smile which then fell as she saw who it was.

"Oh it's you" Ethel said glaring at Enid. Enid was holding her cat and broomstick so had needed to be let in as she couldn't open the door with her hands full, the girl smirked and looked at Ethel.

"How kind of you to open the door for me Ethel" Enid said before walking off. Ethel glared after her as she closed the door and Sybil stood in front of her, not wanting her good mood to vanish over this.

"Don't let her upset you Ethel, it is going to be a good day" Sybil told her wanting her sister to remain happy. Ethel sighed but turned away from Enid knowing today, fighting with Mildred and her friends was not her priority. It was seeing her sister and catching up.

There loud knock on the door made the girls jump and come back to reality. Sybil hoped that it was their sister this time and not someone else with no free hands wanting to be let in. The youngest girl opened it, and caught a glimpse of blonde hair, with that she opened the door wider and beamed as she saw this time it was indeed who they had being waiting for.

* * *

"ESMIE" Sybil and Ethel shouted in unison and Esmie stepped in the door before taking both girls into her arms, giving them both hugs at the same time. One girl in each arm, that was why she was grateful not to have more than two sisters or she couldn't do that.

"ETHIE, SYBIE" Esmerelda said smiling, equally happy to see her little sisters. The three girls hugged for a while until they pulled away and just smiled at each other.

"I am so glad to see you both" Esmerelda told them, having missed her little sisters so much in her absence.

"Us too, we missed you" Ethel told her going in for another hug. It had being to long since they had seen each other, she just wanted to be with her. She didn't care if someone walked past and laughed at her in that moment.

"I missed you too" Esmerelda replied, squeezing her sisters some more before bending down to pick up the duffel bag she had dropped in her excitement, with her night-time supplies in.

"I still can't believe Miss Drill convinced the teachers to let you stay, how did she do it?" Sybil asked as her sisters and her started to walk up the stairs.

"I haven't a clue but remind me to find her and thank her" Esmie replied and the girls were just heading up the stairs when Miss Hardbroom appeared in front of them, making them all jump.

"Ahhh Esmerelda" the woman said, looking less than pleased to see her ex-pupil.

"Well met Miss Hardbroom" the girl said touching her forehead and gesturing to her, trying to be poilte.

"Miss Cackle has told me that you will be in the spare room tonight" the woman told her and Esmerelda nodded.

"Thank you Miss Hardbroom" Esmerelda replied, thanking her for the information. She wasn't stupid she hadn't expected to be allowed to share with her sisters and had expected to be put someone else.

"And I also want to inform you that as you are here you will be under the rules of the school, so I don't want any trouble" Miss Hardbroom went on, talking in a deadly voice.

Esmerelda didn't understand, she wasn't one to get into trouble so she didn't know why HB assumed she was but she only nodded, just wanting to stay on her good side as she was here.

"There won't be any" Esmerelda replied with a nod, Miss Hardbroom turned her attention to the younger girls.

"I am aware Miss Cackle has given you permission to miss lessons but I still expect you both to turn up to mine or you will be punished" she told them not letting them skip for such a stupid reason as hanging out with their sister. The younger two nodded, knowing after their protesting arguing would probably see them thrown out a window.

"Yes Miss" Ethel said and the woman nodded and disappeared, leaving the girls alone again.

"That is one thing I don't miss about Cackles" Esmerelda said as they kept climbing the stairs and reached the top.

"Sadly she has not got more tolerable" Ethel replied walking down the corridors so that Esmie could put her bag down. The girls knew HB would expect them to turn up to class even if they broke every bone in the body, she would probably want them to roll the bed in.

* * *

They arrived to the spare room and made their way inside. Sybil started to cough as she went in, the dust getting in her throat, she always was a bit sensitive to dust.

"You would think they would use a cleaning spell on this place, it probably hasn't being used since Grandma Jo came here" Ethel said dramtically as she looked at the dust around the room, and wondered when it had last being used and by whom.

"That takes to much effort for HB" Esmerelda replied putting her bag on the bed. It would do for one night, she didn't want to leave her sisters again.

"You aren't going to be sleeping here anyway so it doesn't really matter" Ethel told her sister. Esmerelda looked at Sybil who shrugged and then back at Ethel confused.

"We are having a proper sleepover obviously, you two can come in my room, like we used to at home" Ethel told her sisters smiling.

"Ethel we can't...if HB sees" Sybil replied, worried about what the women would do to them.

"I don't care about that irritating woman, she is just a spoilsport, after lights out you two can sneak in my room, come on it will be like old times" Ethel replied looking at her sisters hoping they were keen.

"Ethie….do you want to be kicked out of the perfomance again?" Esmerelda asked, having a bad feeling they would be caught.

"It is worth a shot, and if HB complains I will tell her that this room was to dusty so we had to move you, come on Esmie, live a little" Ethel said, trying to convince them.

Esmie looked at Sybil who smiled and Esmerelda decided she didn't care if they got caught, it had being months, they needed some sister time.

"Sounds perfect Ethie" Esmerelda replied, giving the girls another big hug.


	12. Chapter 12 - Sleepover

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Chapter Twelve

**Sleepover**

That night, Esmerelda and Sybil sneaked into Ethel's room both in their pyjamas and dressing gowns with their hair down, Ethel smiled as they all sat on her bed to talk, ready to get their sleepover started.

"HB should be asleep by now" Sybil said as she spoke to her sisters. Ethel nodded thinking they should be safe, it was late so HB would of finished her rounds by now.

"Did you manage to get any food from the kitchen?" Esmerelda asked, knowing her sisters had being planning on getting some midnight snacks. Ethel nodded and opened the draw on her bedside table, showing a pile of food in there.

"It is probably gross as Miss Tapioca made it, but you know how hard it is to find decent food around here" Ethel said as she put the food on the bed so they could share it.

"So how are things Esmie?" Sybil asked her eldest sister.

"They are getting better, I am getting more used to being powerless" Esmerelda replied. Ethel looked down sadly and sighed and Sybil fell silent.

"I am such an idiot, why did I ever think tricking you with Agatha was a smart idea?" Ethel asked aloud, knowing her sisters should not have forgave her for it, it was an evil thing for her to have done.

"You didn't think beforehand Ethie, we have spoken about this, I don't want you to feel bad about it, I know Agatha got into your head and made you think you were doing the right thing" Esmerelda replied, only blaming Agatha now, she knew how to play games so she was able to trick Ethel into thinking taking Esmerelda's powers was a good thing.

"I will always feel bad" Ethel said looking at her bed. Esmerelda knew that she couldn't do anything to assure Ethel or fix her self-guilt, apart from tell her she forgave her.

"Please don't be sad Ethie, I am just glad I got to visit you two, are you looking forward to the performance?" Esmerelda asked, wondering if they were actually happy about it or still dreading it like they had being a few weeks ago.

"I am so nervous, it makes my stomach hurt when I think about it" Sybil admitted, her nerves had really kicked in over the last few hours. She had being okay until it started to get closer.

"Everyone gets nervous before a perfomance Sybie that is normal, you will be fine once it comes to it" Esmerelda told her putting her arm around her and cuddling her.

* * *

"Are you nervous Ethel?" Sybil asked her sister and Ethel nodded and then sighed.

"I have a horrible feeling something is going to go wrong like always" Ethel replied explaining her fears before sighing and carrying on talking "I don't know why I am bothering anyway, no matter if I pull of my dragon transformation, Mildred will get all the credit anyway, she always does" Ethel replied, feeling under the weather right now and starting to question why she should try when no-one ever cared. She had given up trying to impress people because she had finally come to the conclusion her best was never good enough.

"That isn't true Ethel" Esmerelda told her. She honestly thought her sister had all this in her head, Mildred got in just as much trouble as her, the only real difference between their experiences was Mildred just got lucky.

"Oh yeah? How about the spelling bee last year? I am not saying that Mildred did not help us win, and that she was not the one to get the final question right, but I got the rest of the questions right, and yet what happened when we went in the classroom? Everyone cheered for Mildred, no-one gave a stuff about me or the part I had played in it, not one person said well done, it was like I didn't even exist or matter, and then she goes and breaks the trophy through her clumsiness, that is just another one of my dreams she managed to take and shatter" Ethel replied, raising her voice a little as she spoke, in a tone full of bitterness. Esmerelda and Sybil looked at each other. They knew it had being wrong of no-one to cheer for Ethel but the sad reality was there was nothing they could do to change that.

"They were wrong, they should have gave you credit too, but that won't happen tomorrow Ethel and if it does, I will be cheering for you, it is not going to go sour for you this time" Esmerelda told Ethel trying to make her feel better. She would always be cheering for Ethel, even if something did go wrong.

"Thanks Esmie" Ethel said with a sigh. She was still upset, but at least she was feeling a little better now, at least this time she would have someone watching her who was not looking forward to her messing up.

"Don't be sad Ethie, sleepovers are meant to be fun, why don't we try to forget about the perfomance for tonight and just have fun, like old times?" Sybil suggested. Ethel looked at her and could not help but smile, she was right, this was the first quality time they had had together in months, she didn't want it to be a downer. She didn't want to talk about things that made them unhappy.

"I second that" Esmerelda said as she picked up a pastry looking thing from the bed and bit it only to spit it back out.

"Yep Miss Tapioca made that alright, that is so bad" Esmerelda said causing Ethel and Sybil to start to laugh.

"What is so funny?" Esmerelda asked smiling as her sisters laughed more, finding now they had started they couldn't stop. Esmerelda joined in but put her fingers to her lips, knowing HB was like a hawk and might hear them, but it did not stop her from laughing herself and trying to keep quiet.

"I can't stop" Sybil said giggling to herself and covering her mouth. The girls laughed for a few minutes before they finally started to stop and Esmerelda spoke.

"I missed this, I missed you two" Esmerelda told them, having become incredibly lonely at home, her sisters made everything more fun, being by herself and without magic was torture.

"Are mum and dad driving you nuts?" Sybil asked knowing how pushy and annoying their parents could be. Esmerelda nodded.

"It is worse, now that I am always home they make me attend all these stupid dinners with their friends, I don't know why because they don't talk to me when I am there" Esmerelda replied, hating them dinner parties so much. Her parents would speak to the other stuck up adults there and no-one glanced at her, so she was still trying to figure out what the point was.

"They are probably trying to make the family name good again, you know they said that it has being ruined after what happened last year" Ethel replied, knowing it had ruined their family name. Esmerelda sighed, she didn't care about the stupid family name, she just wanted them to leave her alone. She was down enough as it was without them two bugging her.

"Well I am just glad to get away for a bit, they are driving me nuts" Esmerelda replied. Sybil looked at her sister then, wearing a confused look as a thought entered her mind.

* * *

"How did you convince mum and dad to let you stay over?" Sybil asked looking at Esmerelda with wonderment, after all last time she had come she had to sneak out just to get to see her sisters for a few hours and Sybil wondered if she had sneaked out again.

"Yeah I was wondering that too" Ethel replied looking at Esmie equally as confused. The eldest blonde smirked and looked at her sisters.

"Well after mum nearly got Miss Cackle fired she didn't have much choice did she? She knows the Great Wizard is angry at her and he could punish or worse if she refused or started to make a fuss" Esmerelda replied and the two youngest nodded, realising it made sense. Ursulla Hallow knew now more than ever to stay on the good side of Miss Cackle and the Great Wizard after she had faked that petition and being fired from the magic council.

"At least you didn't have to run away this time" Ethel commented and Esmerelda nodded glad of that fact.

"Yes last time it was a nightmare getting out, I like it better when I can talk them around because they have gotten themselves into trouble, serves them right for being so stupid, you are a child Ethel but they are adults, they should know better" Esmerelda replied.

"Well I am glad because I miss spending time together" Sybil said and Ethel nodded but then smiled before she spoke.

"I missed it too...apart from maybe you nagging me" Ethel said. She was just messing, trying to lighten the mood a little. Esmerelda pulled an insulted face and grabbed a pillow hitting Ethel with it.

"Hey!" Ethel said grabbing another pillow and hitting her back. The sisters looked at each other and all grabbed pillows, having a pillow fight but quietly. HB would kill them if she found them.

"That was fun" Sybil said afterwards lying on the bed with her sisters and giggling.

"Yes it was…..but now I am tired" Ethel said feeling worn out after that.

"Me too" Esmerelda said.

"That was fun….just like old times" Sybil replied, having had a fantastic evening.

"Just like in the summer" Ethel said, but nothing more was said. The girls were exhausted as they had being up for hours and it was now late, and with good memories running through their mind they all fell into a deep sleep.


	13. Chapter 13 - Nerves

A/N: I have had a few people leave reviews on this story saying they don't like that Ethel blames Mildred for everything, them parts are from ETHEL'S point of view and she DOES blame Mildred for everything and it is very unrealistic to write her where she doesn't unless it is a story where they are friends. Please don't leave comments complaining about Ethel blaming Mildred, I am not bashing on Mildred I am being realistic for the character. Please just think before leaving such comments, I am open always to constructive criticism but that is not constructive, thank you.

* * *

Chapter Thirteen

**Nerves**

Ethel woke up first, her head was hurting from the late night last night and she turned her head to see both her sisters still sleeping, seeing it was still seven in the morning and knowing that because of the perfomance they didn't have to be up as early today, Ethel quietly sneaked of her bed and left to go and use the bathroom, and shower, before half the school was awake and she had to wait.

The blonde knew if anyone found out about last night her and her sisters would be in trouble but she didn't really care, today was the perfomance, the teachers wouldn't chose today to punish her or her sisters, anyway it had being worth it.

When she returned, her hair now dried after a quick spell she saw Esmerelda was stirring. Ethel was surprised because Esmie was normally first up, but she suspected she hadn't being sleeping all that great because of what happened.

"Morning" Ethel said, already dressed. Esmie looked at her little sister and smiled

"Morning Ethie, is anyone else up yet?"" Esmerelda asked her. Ethel nodded.

"Yes but not many, if you want to shower I would go now before there is a wait" Ethel told her sister. Esmerelda nodded and thought Ethel was right, so started to head out the room. "Thanks Ethie" she said heading out the room, leaving Sybil to sleep. Ethel quietly walked over to grab her hairbrush without disturbing Sybil.

A while later, all three sisters, were up, dressed and showered and it was almost time for breakfast. Today, the girls would have costumes and could also style there hair however they wanted, but unlike Sybil who was being adventurous and had her hair down with two plaits joined in the back, Ethel had her hair in her normal hairstyle.

"Ethie" Esmerelda said as she saw her sister and shook her head.

"What?" Ethel replied confused as to why her sister was looking at her like that.

"You can dress however you want today, at least try to be creative" Esmerelda told her sister, thinking it was boring for her to be dressed in the same thing she always wore.

"I like wearing my hair in a ponytail" Ethel replied as she turned around and followed her sisters down the stairs for breakfast, her sisters sighed, knowing they would not be able to talk her into it.

* * *

The girls went to eat their breakfast, and Esmerelda played with her food. It had being months and she had forgotten how bad the porridge was and she was not sure she could stomach it anymore, and there was also the fact she was not really hungry as her and her sisters had filled up on sweets last night.

"I am to nervous to eat" Ethel said putting her own spoon down and gulping. She felt sick, it had come on so suddenly she would think someone had cast a spell at her.

"Me too, I think I am going to throw up" Sybil replied, not feeling very well anymore. She was even more nervous now she knew Esmerelda would be watching her and would see if she messed up. The there girls played with their food and didn't eat and jumped out of their skin when they heard a cold voice.

"Is there something wrong with the food girls?" Miss Hardbroom asked as she saw all three girls not eating the food.

"No Miss Hardbroom...we just aren't very hungry" Ethel replied, knowing she better do the talking as her sisters were not very good at lying.

"All three of you?" That is strange wouldn't you say?" HB said and the girls looked at each other before Esmerelda replied.

"We share genes, must be genetics" Esmerelda said and Ethel touched her head, knowing HB won't buy that and she would only become suspicious.

"I beg you pardon?" HB said but before the girls had a chance to reply, Clarice and Beatrice arrived and asked Sybil if she wanted to fit in some last minute practise, Sybil nodded and rushed of with her friends. HB lingered behind the older two before talking.

"I expect no funny business today" she told them before disappearing. The sisters gathered their bowls and put them in the cleaning tub before rushing down the corridor, Esmerelda in a panic.

* * *

"She knows, she knows about last night" Esmerelda said to Ethel panicking

"How can she? If she did we wouldn't still be standing" Ethel replied logically

"Did you hear the way she asked why we weren't eating, almost as if she knew we weren't hungry because we had a midnight feast" Esmerelda replied, thinking HB actually knew and was hinting she did.

"But how can she? No-one saw us Esmie" Ethel replied, although she was a bit worried herself.

"But she was acting strangely" Esmerelda replied, still thinking HB knew and just wanted to make them sweat.

"She always acts weird, HB is strange" Ethel replied before touching her stomach.

"Are you alright Ethie?" Esmerelda asked her concerned

Ethel shook her head, she felt worse than she had at the table. She felt very sick.

"I feel so sick, I don't think I can perform" Ethel replied, not feeling at all right, she felt like she was going to throw up.

"Oh Ethie, you probably are just nervous" Esmerelda told her, knowing she had being fine when she woke and was now anxious. She was scared which was natural.

"I don't know, it doesn't feel like nerves" Ethel replied. Esmerelda touched her shoulders, trying to calm her down.

"It is okay Ethie, don't panic" Esmerelda told her, knowing she needed to calm down.

"I have to panic, I am about to perform in front of the Great Wizard where anything could go wrong" Ethel replied, having an awful feeling about this perfomance.

"Ethel" Esmerelda replied confused. Sybil was the one she expected to be panicking, not Ethel.

"I don't think I can do this, it will go wrong I know it and then everyone will blame me and hate me more than they already do" Ethel replied, now it was coming to it she didn't feel like she could do this. She knew somehow she would get the blame for it, even if this time she hadn't done anything.

"Ethel, you will be great I know it, trust me, you can't back out now, not after all the hard work you put into it" Esmerelda told her.

"Ethel what are you doing? You should be at the last rehearsal" Miss Drill interrupted as she saw the sisters talking in the corridor. Ethel sighed.

"Yes she was just coming, thank you Miss, and thank you for getting Miss Cackle to let me come and watch and sleepover" Esmerelda replied, remembering she had to thank the woman.

"Of course, we couldn't have you not watch could we?" Miss Drill said with a smile towards the eldest girl.

"Well thank you I appreciate it, on you go Ethel, you don't want to miss it" Esmerelda told her sister.

"Esmie..." Ethel said wondering why Esmerelda was forcing her into this. She didn't want to perform, she wanted the understudy to do it.

"Go on Ethie" she said before she hugged her "Good luck, you will be fine I know it" she told her and Ethel sighed and walked of with Miss Drill.

Esmerelda felt bad but knew she had to push her because she knew it was just her nerves holding her back and she couldn't give up now, not after she had worked so hard. She walked down the corridor to find Sybil to wish her luck, nervous herself with anticipation for her sisters.


	14. Chapter 14 - Sybil's Moment

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Chapter Fourteen

**Sybil's Moment**

The students of Cackles Academy were nervous, because their perfomance was quickly coming up. It would go by year group, so the first years would do their piece first then the second years and so forth. Sybil sat backstage with her friends.

"The Great Wizard is here" one of their classmates said as she had being looking behind the curtain and saw the man arrive and Miss Cackle leading him out the back door. Sybil gulped, the sick feeling in her stomach worse than before, but she put on the purple cape that she was wearing for the performance, tying to remember everything she had learned and had to do.

"I am just going to go find Ethel, I won't see her again until after we both perform" Sybil said as because they were flying they would be outside and the rest of the show would be inside on the stage. The girl walked around back stage looking for her sister and found her sitting down looking pale.

"Ethel?" Sybil said. The girl looked up and smiled slightly and Sybil walked to her and hugged her.

"I just wanted to wish you good luck, I am rooting for you" Sybil said with a smile, wanting her sister to know she had support.

Ethel realised she was being hugged and wrapped her arms around Sybil hugging her back tightly.

"Thank you Sybie, and good luck to you too, remember to believe in yourself" Ethel told her and the sisters hugged a while longer before Beatrice found them.

"Sybil we have to go" she told her friend who nodded and pulled away. Ethel stood up to follow.

"What are you doing?" Sybil asked confused, Ethel knew she wasn't supposed to leave back stage as anywise she would be cutting it fine to make it back in time to perform herself.

"I am coming to watch of course! I can't miss it when you have being working hard" Ethel told her. Sybil beamed at her sister as the girls walked out, Ethel being careful to avoid detection.

"Psss Esmie" Ethel whispered, the blond turned around to see her sister was following behind her

"Ethie what are you..?" Esmerelda asked confused

"I came to watch our sister perform, I am not missing it" Ethel said and Esmie smiled, glad the girls were closer and supporting each other.

* * *

The crowd outside got larger as the spectators arrived to watch the first years broomstick display and the first years stood nervously to the side waiting for their queue. Sybil caught her sisters eyes and they gave her a thumbs up, she took a breath, trying to remain calm.

"Welcome everyone, your Greatness, to our Halloween performance" Ada said standing in front of the first years and using dramatic hand movements "The students have being working hard the last month for this moment" she said. Esmerelda and Ethel looked at each other, clearly knowing this was going to be a long speech.

"And today the day has finally come where the girls get to show of their hard work" the woman said. Ethel was glad the crowd was large and distracted because no-one noticed her. On and on the woman went, everyone growing bored until she finally seemed nearly done.

"And we will be starting with our first years, they are going to be doing a broomstick display for you" the woman said turning to the girls "Are you ready?" she said. The girls looked back at her as if they wanted nothing more than to run but nodded.

"Very well, when you ready you may begin" she told them.

Sybil turned around to look at her classmates and the girls nodded, to tell her they were ready. The girls mounted their broomsticks. Sybil's stomach now was really in knots, she was going to crash she knew it, or throw up, she wasn't sure which one of them would be worse when the Great Wizard was watching.

"Okay girls on my whistle" Miss Drill said.

_No...she couldn't do it...she was to scared, she had to get out of here. _Sybil thought to herself, freaking out in her head.

Sybil heard the noise of a whistle in her ears and knew there was no getting out of it now, the moment she had being dreading was here, she gulped but started to rise, she couldn't just run off now, her friends were independent on her as everyone was watching so with that she took off.

The knot in her stomach was hurting her, and she was not sure she would be able to do it but she kept going higher, not able to give up now, it was to late for that.

She felt the breeze around her as they were now in the air and she let out the breath she had being holding, she had done it, she had gotten in the air without being sick or crashing, now she just simply had to fly like they had practised, she could do it, she had to do it.

Sybil looked behind her to see the other girls were behind her and they started to fly in a straight line, Sybil leading them. She remembered everything she had being taught, the right speed to fly, to listen for everyone else behind her to make sure they were on track.

Sybil flew, the girls forming a perfectly straight line and flying in unison and then they went into a circle, performing the piece they had practised. She could hear clapping far below and she felt more confident from and that and the knot in her stomach was loosing, with that she flew towards the floor again, the perfomance was coming to an end.

Her and Ethel had being practising the last part for weeks, because Sybil was not able to fly one handed, she had mastered it, but only just, she would still fail every now and then, but it was normally because of nerves.

Sybil though flew until she was a few inches above the floor and then she took a breath and took her hand of the broomstick, lifting it in the air. She focused on her surroundings and griped the broomstick together, needing to keep control. She blocked everything out and concentrated on nothing but her objective and after about twenty seconds she lowered her arm, before flying towards the ground, now it was just the landing.

She felt her feet touch the floor as she landed and Sybil found herself smiling, she had done it, she had not crashed and it had gone far better than she had expected.

* * *

There was loud cheers and clapping as the first years finished performing and Miss Cackle was by their side, smiling at her youngest pupils.

"Well done girls that was brilliant" she said. Sybil turned to her friends and the girls all hugged, proud of themselves for what they had done. Sybil turned around and beaming walked towards the crowd to find her sisters, she found them beaming at her and hugged them.

"You were so brilliant Sybie, you should be proud of yourself" Esmerelda said hugging her tightly. Sybil beamed into her chest, she was proud of herself and she couldn't wipe the smile of her face.

"Fantastic Sybs" Ethel said hugging her too "But sorry I better get inside before I am missed" Ethel said rushing in before the crowd got to big.

"I thought I couldn't do it, but I knew I had practised, the knot in my stomach was just nerves" Sybil said happily and Esmie beamed at her, proud of her younger sister.

"I always believed you could Sybil, you have grown so much in confidence, I never had any doubt you would be successful" Esmerelda told her, hugging and squeezing her.

"Come on, let's go watch Ethel" Sybil said, proud of herself and now she had to go cheer for Ethel, because she knew she was going to do brilliant too.

"Yes let's go before all the good seats are taken" Esmerelda replied, rushing with Sybil into the castle.


	15. Chapter 15 - Ethel

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Chapter Fifteen

**Ethel**

Esmerelda and Sybil pushed through the crowd and were chuffed when they managed to get seats on the front row. Strictly speaking they were for the teachers but there was always some left and it was always these seats people tried to grab. Miss Hardbroom ended up next to Esmerelda and eyed her darkly but Esmerelda was to excited to see Ethel to perform to care about what HB was thinking.

Backstage Ethel was nervous, Sybil had done so well, and she knew the pressure was on her to do equally as well. She looked at the purple cape she had on and looked in the mirror….and that was when she decided, her sisters were right she should change herself up a bit. She pulled her bow and hair bobble out letting her hair hang lose trying to decide how to style it. She decided on a half up ponytail which left the majority of her hair down and opted for the purple bow she wore at selection day instead of her standard black one.

"Five minutes till we go on girls" Ethel heard Miss Drill said and the blond became more nervous at that but stood up to make her entrance on the stage. From where she was standing she could hear Miss Cackle.

"And now after that fantastic broomstick display it is time for the perfomance from our second years, the girls are going to be doing a potion transformation perfomance, I do hope you enjoy" the woman said, everyone started to clap and Ethel closed her eyes again before walking onto the stage where the cauldrons had being set up. She went to stand by the middle one and could sense her classmates at the ones at the side of her.

* * *

First each girl had to make the potions. Ethel racked her brain, she knew this potion from by heart. Two snakes eyes, four eagle feathers, half a spiders egg, and then of course the pondweed, the ingredient that had gone wrong last time because Mildred had taken it. Ethel measured it out, once twice, three times, she was not going to allow anyone to mess up her potion, not this time. She put the ingredient in her cauldron and dared to look up, seeing her sisters on the front row watching interested, and she had to stop herself from laughing when she saw Miss Hardbroom looking less than pleased by the seating arrangements.

Ethel looked back at her cauldron, seeing it was a fiery red colur. She had added everything perfectly, so there was no reason her potion could not work, now she had to get lucky and not have someone trip and knock it over, she thought as she carefully placed a small amount of the red liquid into the beaker. She knew the other girls were not happy about her being the leader, but the fact of the matter is she was. She waved her hand, monitoring to the girls it was time to take the potions.

They were going to be doing it smallest to largest animal. Enid drank her potion and turned into a bee, then Felicity drank hers and turned into a snail, then Mildred turned into a mouse and Maud into a guenia pig. Ethel watched as all the girls transformed, the gasps from the crowd getting louder with each one. As Ethel was a dragon she was going to be last, but so far so good.

Another girl, Margo, turned into a rabbit, turning a lot of the audience to say aww at the cute fluffy animal appeared. The next girl turned into a cat, and then the next a dog. Ethel watched each girl, glad none of them had messed up their potions, it would soon be her turn and she was nervous.

* * *

The last animal before Ethel was a cow. Of course there were larger animals such as dolphins and sharks, but the girls would not survive in the water so they had had to rule out sea animals. Ethel suddenly felt such an intense pain in her stomach, she almost dropped her beaker. She had never being so nervous for anything before, not for the entrance exam, not when they had being fighting Agatha, it was this moment which was making her a bundle of nerves and she was not quite sure she could go through with it.

Ethel knew it was time for her to transform and she lifted the beaker of red liquid to her lips and took a small sip. The young girls eyes glowed red, just like they had last year when she had taken this potion. Her eyes last year though had changed back to her standard blue within a second, because she had made it wrong because of the lack on pondweed, but today they didn't change back, of course Ethel couldn't see this so she did not know why everyone was gasping at her in horror, she couldn't see a lot of them because of the lightening, but she could hear them.

The intense pain in her stomach changed, it was still painful but it was a burning pain as the potion ran through her body, she knew she was about to transform, and all she had time to do was close her eyes and wish more than anything it had worked, and if it hadn't that she was at least a more interesting animal than a worm, and was at least something that would amaze the audience.

There was a puff of smoke as Ethel changed form. Whereas before a young blond girl had stood now stood a huge fiery red dragon, like the ones that were in fairytales or fantasy novels, with scales all over the body, a long narrow neck. and wings bigger than an elephant, Ethel roared as her transformation took affect, the girl was not sure it had worked, she was looking through the eyes of a dragon which was weird and she could tell something had happened but she didn't know if it was a dragon, because she could not see her reflection but she could hear amazed gasps through the air which told her she was at least something, to finish her performance she breathed fire, lightening the lantern in front of her and with that she heard a fury of noise.

* * *

The crowd went wild, clapping, cheering, whistling. They were absolutely amazed by what they had just seen, none of them could say they had ever seen a dragon before. Esmerelda and Sybil stood up, proud of Ethel and clapping and cheering with the rest.

"GO ETHIE" Esmerelda shouted making the strict teacher next to her jump and glare as the girl shouted in her ear. Sybil giggled to herself at HB before she turned her eyes back to the stage, clapping for her sister.

There was small popping sounds as the transformations started to wear of and the animals disappeared to be replaced by the young girls on the stage, the transformations wore of from smallest to biggest so Ethel was the last to turn back.

She turned back and was taken aback by the crowd she saw, she realised in that moment her transformation must have being successful and she smiled slowly before she found herself beaming, but for once it was a proper smile, not a smirk. All her year was smiling on the stage, none of them had seen the transformations in person, as they were meant to be a surprise, Ethel felt Felicity tugging at her and took her hand and another girls before bowing with the rest of the girls, and then they all rushed of the stage.

"That was amazing! Let's go find Ethel" Esmerelda said to Sybil, leaving with her sister to go back stage, she could sense HB was looking at them, as strictly they weren't supposed to do that, but Esmie found in that moment she didn't care.

* * *

Ethel sat down, smiling to herself, she couldn't believe it at all, she never would of expected it to go well, let alone as well as it did, and her smile got even larger as she saw flashes of blonde heads and her sisters walking through the door.

"Ethel that was amazing!" Esmerelda said, grabbing her younger sister and pulling her into a hug, so proud of her.

"Did it work?" Ethel asked, still not sure if it had being exactly right as she couldn't see.

"YES!" Sybil shouted excited, it was amazing, you were this big dragon, and all red and scaly, and I was a little scared, but I was more amazed" Sybil said, joining in and hugging her older sister.

"I can't believe it, I never thought…." Ethel said still flabbergasted it had not gone wrong, things never go the way she wanted them to.

"I knew you could do it, you were amazing, you both were, I am proud of you both" Esmerelda told her sisters, taking Sybil into her arms so she was hugging both.

"I am glad everyone finally got to see my transformation, that was what was supposed to happen last year" Ethel replied, enjoying being squeezed.

"My girls, you are both so amazing!" Esmerelda told them, tears falling out her eyes because she was so proud. Ethel beamed, happy her sister had being here to see her, and with the way things had turned out. She had missed Esmerelda, and all she wanted to do these days was make her proud.

"Come on, let's go, everyone will be in the perfomance, let's go have fun" Ethel told her sisters smiling.

"We can't sneak off" Sybil said, worried about getting in trouble

"Why can't we? No-one will notice we are gone" Ethel said and Esmerelda smiled as an idea entered her head.

"Who wants ice cream?" she asked. Her sisters looked at each other before both raising their hands and jumping on the spot.

"ME" they shouted, excited about their treat.


	16. Chapter 16 - Esmerelda

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* * *

Chapter Sixteen

**Esmerelda**

The girls sneaked out the school giggling and made their way down the hill to the small village at the bottom. It was a well known area as many students went there at weekends to get sweets or ice-cream.

"Can we get sprinkles?" Sybil asked jumping happily. Esmerelda smiled and nodded as they made their way through the door of the ice cream shop and sat down.

"Right Ethel Vanilla, Sybil chocolate or Vanilla?" Esmerelda asked. She knew Ethel only liked vanilla ice-cream, but Sybil liked Vanilla and Chocolate, just not Strawberry, Esmerelda herself was fussy with ice cream and only liked vanilla too.

"I want vanilla today, with sprinkles and sauce!" Sybil said licking her lips excited. Esmerelda stood up and went to order. She saw it was cheaper to get one large ice-ream and as they all like vanilla she thought they could get one of the knickerbocker glory's.

"Ethel can you get the spoons please?" Esmerelda asked her as they waited. Ethel stood up and went to grab some spoons, looking forward to her ice-cream.

The three girls gasped as the ice-cream served in a glass dish was brought to them. It was huge and definitely only something that could be eaten by multiple people. The girls tucked in straight away and Ethel sighed in contentment.

"That is so good" Ethel said as the taste of the vanilla, chocolate sauce and sprinkles hit her mouth. The girl loved ice-cream and it was a rare treat.

"Yes well you both did so well I had to treat you both, I can see how much hard work went into your performances" Esmerelda told her sisters, as she put some of the cold dessert into her mouth.

"I am so glad you got to see it, I thought, it is going to go wrong and everyone will hate me, but it didn't" Ethel said still unable to let that sink in.

"I always knew it would be alright, you two are doing so well, and getting on much better, normally you would be fighting by now" Esmerelda replied with a sad chuckle, that she had missed some of their personal growth and that they weren't fighting, she liked when they did it and hoped they still had the odd quarrel, it was her job to break up the silly fights, that was how things were.

"What are we going to do now though?" Sybil asked with a sigh, putting her spoon down.

"What do you mean Sybie?" Esmerelda asked confused, not understanding what her sister meant.

"About your...situation" Sybil said. She didn't want to mention her sisters absent powers because she knew everyone got touchy and upset when it was brought up, but the fact was after their ice-cream Esmerelda would be returning home, still without magic.

* * *

Esmerelda shrugged, she couldn't do anything to solve the issue she was facing, unless she took magic from somewhere illegally.

"I will just have to go home and start at a non-magical school like mum and dad keep going on about, there is no point in putting it off, unless Agatha gets released from the painting and decides she wants to be remorseful and give my magic back I won't be getting any back" Esmerelda replied, knowing by this point she just had to face facts, she was powerless, and none of the adults had thought of a solution.

"No….there must be a way" Ethel said, not wanting to give up yet. She didn't want Esmerelda to have to leave their world for the non-magical world because right now she would be just schooling as a non-magical pupil but Ethel knew the code like the back of her hand and knew after a certain time of someone not having magic, they can't remain in the world anymore, after all they can't study magic or follow magical traditions without powers.

"I have tried everything Ethel, I have read books upon books, there is nothing I can find about ways to restore magic, there only way I can think of is to get magic from a prisoner or someone on their death bed but mum and dad won't help me with that and if I do that myself I will have magic but then get arrested, so I still wont be able to enjoy my powers" Esmerelda replied with a sigh, knowing Ethel was trying to help but she knew as well as she did there was no legal solution that would not get Esmerelda arrested.

"Well...you can have my magic!" Ethel said seriously. She had perfomanced what she wanted to perform so now Esmerelda, who was innocent in all her games, deserved to rejoin their world, she didn't.

"Ethie no...we have spoken about this" Esmerelda replied, having spoken to Ethel before about this when she had offered to give her magic before, but Esmerelda would not do that, she knew how it felt to have no magic and it was horrible, her sister was already on the verge of depression, she didn't think making her more miserable would help, plus she just couldn't do that to Ethel, it would kill her.

"How about if Ethel and I both give you some of our powers" Sybil suggested, thinking Esmerelda might accept that deal, because then all three of them will have magic.

"No, I don't want either of you to give up your magic for me, I will be just fine" Esmerelda replied. The youngest two looked at each other, knowing deep down, she would never be fine, even if she pretended she was.

"I don't want you to go" Ethel said before she started to cry. She was such an idiot, and the guilt ate away at her constantly, why she had thought it was a good idea in the first place baffled hers, she did all that to have a special belt? It was a disgusting reason and nothing had changed, her parents were still cold, and she hadn't got the belt, but now everyone hated her, she had basically lost her sister and Agatha had being locked in a painting for eternity with her sisters magic.

"Ethie don't cry….it wasn't your fault" Esmerelda replied, knowing Ethel blaming herself was so unhealthy She wasn't going to deny Ethel had being partly responsible for what happened to her, but Ethel refused to blame anyone but herself, that was the part that got Esmerelda.

"It is my fault, everything is my fault, why could you not have just had Sybil as your sister? Life would be much easier" Ethel said, upset. She hated herself, she should be at Wormwoods Academy like Agatha, she was just as bad, if not worse than the woman.

"ETHEL" Esmerelda shouted causing some people in the shop to turn and look at her, she ignored them and turned back to her sister.

"Don't every say that again! Maybe our lives would be easier, but that doesn't mean they would be more enjoyable, I will love you always, both you and Sybil, I loved you when you were born and I still do, I am so glad to have both of you" Esmerelda replied, glaring at her little sister for ever thinking such a thing.

* * *

Ethel wiped her eyes and smiled slightly, glad that Esmie was such a good person, anyone else would of told her to take a hike.

"Don't cry Ethel" Sybil said hugging her sister before turning back to Esmerelda. "There must be something, there just must, maybe we should ask Grandma Josephine" Sybil suggested, thinking the woman might know a way she can get her magic back. She was the smartest woman any of them knew.

"NO! Sybil her health has being bad recently, that is why we never told her what happened, it will kill her you know that" Esmerelda replied. She didn't want their grandmother to make herself more sick because she was so upset and worried about her granddaughter. It had being best to hide it from her.

"We don't have much choice Esmerelda, with mum, dad and the teachers at Cackle being the only ones who can help you, you have no chance, our cats could do a better job" Ethel said bitterly. She had started to hate the teachers more, knowing they left her sister to suffer. Ada never took any responsibly for what happened, when if she had not kept forgiving Agatha and got her arrested and vanished to begin with like normal people would, Agatha would not of being free to take over Cackles, it angered Ethel so much that she never even acknowledged that fact, at least Ethel admitted it was down to her errors.

"Alright….maybe she can help...but if she can't…..let's just forget about it, I am not risking your lives or mine for this" Esmerelda replied, before picking up her spoon and sighing.

"Come on let's eat, its your favourite" she said not wanting it to go to waste. None of the sisters felt much like eating now but forced it down anyway.


	17. Chapter 17 - Josephine Hallow

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* * *

Chapter Seventeen

**Josephine Hallow**

The sisters returned to Cackles and were grateful to hear the low sound of voices from the hall where the perfomance was still going on. Ethel looked at her sisters and put a finger to her lips as they snuck to the mirror room, glad it would be empty.

"At least we don't have to wait" Sybil said as they stepped into the room, Esmerelda nodded and got right to it, she walked to the mirror and held up the calling card that said 'Josephine Hallow' on it. The girls knew it was almost midnight in Australia, but the woman should still be up. There was a few minutes where they waited until the mirror showed an older woman. She was blonde like her granddaughters, but her hair was greying slightly, but she still had a hint of the famous Hallow hair colour, and she looked remarkably like Ethel, if anyone didn't know any better they would think it was future Ethel. The woman looked curious as she answered the call and then beamed.

"Esmie, Ethel, Sybil!" Josephine said with a smile, seeing her young granddaughters looking at her.

"Hi Nan" the three girls chimed waving to her happily, they didn't get to talk to her much so they always savoured it when they did.

"Why are you three dressed funny?" she asked seeing her girls were not in uniform, but dressed in costumes, or in Esmerelda's case, casual clothes.

"There is a perfomance for the Great Wizard at Cackles, sorry you couldn't come Gran" Ethel replied, knowing the woman would be sad she missed it.

Josephine was sad, she had missed a lot because of living so far, so she smiled a sad smile. She hated being so far from them and sometimes wondered if she had made the right decision.

"I am sorry I missed it, but I am sure you all did so well" Jo replied. Esmerelda looked at her sisters before replying.

"They did….." she said, knowing it was coming up to explain everything to Jo.

"What do you mean honey?" Esmerelda asked her curiously, she didn't know what she meant.

Esmerelda glanced at Ethel and Sybil before looking back at Josephine and replying.

"I don't go to Cackles anymore" she said simply, biting her lip worried.

"What? What are you talking about?" Jo asked in disbelief

"Nan….there is something we haven't told you….I don't have magic anymore" Esmerelda went on, now looking at the floor, not wanting to see her nan upset at that statement.

"WHAT!?" The woman shouted, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"It is a long story..." Ethel said before she went into the story.

* * *

About how she had being angry and upset Esmerelda got attention all the time and she was pushed aside like a rag doll that a child had grown out of and no longer wanted. She didn't understand why the situation was how it was, she had being good at one point, but even then she had been treated differently, and then how she had come up with an idea to change things. She sneaked into the mirror room and mirrored Agatha, knowing wherever she was, the mirror call would find her. Agatha had picked up and had been shocked to find a student calling her but Ethel had told her they could make a deal, she could get her magic again and help her take over the school, but in return she wanted to be head girl. Agatha, who wanted nothing more than the school agreed and that is why Ethel had made the show of leaving her bedroom that day to meet her. She knew Esmerelda would follow her because Nightstar had gone to see Morgana, Esmerelda's cat. Seeing the cat out of the bedroom at night, Morgana woke up her mistress to alert to her something was wrong, and Esmerelda worried about her sister had followed.

Ethel looked down then as she told her grandmother how she had then tricked Esmerelda and Esmerelda, loving Ethel, had gave up her powers for her, because she couldn't bare for Ethel to do it. Ethel kept her head down as she finished talking.

"ETHEL" Jo shouted, angry and shocked at her granddaughter for what she had done to her sister. It was cruel and horrible, even for Ethel.

"I am sorry...I am evil I know….I live with it" Ethel said looking at her nan.

The woman had never being so angry at Ethel before but she mellowed quickly. This was not Ethel's fault. Ethel was a product of what Triton and Ursulla Hallow had done to her. They had neglected her, they had told her she was nothing, they had starved her of attention, they had taken her sisters out and left her out on purpose, they had treated her like she didn't exist. Ethel's hurt came out in anger and it had gotten worse as she got older. Jo had schooled with Ada and knew the woman was self-centred and cared about things that would make her look good, she knew that Ada, not wanting to deal with Ethel's behaviour, would of left Ethel to her own devices, thinking her behaviour would sort itself out and ignoring her cry for help, in fact last year Esmerelda had told the woman she was worried about Ethel because she was lashing out and she was scared she was going to do something stupid but no-one else seemed concerned….Esmerelda had being right, Ethel had reached her breaking point and had gone to extreme lengths, which could of being avoided if someone had thought maybe Ethel needed counselling or therapy. Jo is not stupid she knows what people think about Ethel, but no-one is willing to help her improve herself.

"Don't cry Ethel" the woman said. She wasn't happy with her but she knew her granddaughter and what had drove her to the point. She wished their parents would take some responsibility for what they had done to her.

"Nan...the reason we are telling you now is no-one will help us, Esmerelda still has no magic and no-one wants to help her" Sybil sad looking at her sisters "We have tried everything but we can't think of a solution" the youngest girl went on. Esmerelda looked at her sister and sighed.

"Maybe I should get the Great Wizard involved" Jo said, wanting to do everything she could to help them.

"He already knows, he was there when Agatha took over the school" Esmerelda told her, knowing the man was the one who had locked Agatha in the painting in the first place, with her powers still in Agatha, she wasn't sure if he had done that on purpose to punish her for her gullibility but it didn't really make a difference.

Josephine Hallow was furious, but not at her granddaughters, at the adults in charge of them. She could not believe all of them were being totally incompetent to leave Esmerelda without magic when there was simple solutions to the problem, she didn't know why they were purposely trying to hurt the girl but they were doing a good job of it.

"Right I am coming over" Jo told her granddaughters. The sisters all looked at each other shocked.

"No Gran, you don't need to come all the way here, we were just mirroring to ask you for advice, there is no need for you to come" Esmerelda told her. She would love to see her nan but she knew the twenty-four hour flight wore her grandmother out and left her jet lagged, it was the reason her visits had got less over the years.

"No, don't try to talk me out of it, this is ridiculous, give me a day and I will be there" the woman said stubbornly, she really was a lot like Ethel. She ended the mirror call before another word could be said.

* * *

"Oh no, what are we going to do? When she gets here everyone is just going to be fighting" Esmerelda went on, knowing her parents and Jo always argued when they were together.

"I don't know, but can we watch her shout at HB first before we try to convince her to go back home?" Ethel asked. Esmerelda glared at Ethel, for putting that as her property but then chuckled as she could imagine the scene in her head.

"Nan is the best, she always resolves everything, maybe we should just trust her" Sybil said, knowing why her sisters were concerned. Ethel though looked at her sister.

"You need to stay at Cackles...if you don't then we can't see her and she can't help us, her going to our home will only caught everyone to argue but nothing to be done, we need a reason for you to stay" Ethel replied.

"Like what?" Sybil asked, trying to think of something.

Ethel thought as well and then smiled as a thought entered her head.

"Esmie...how does your leg feel?" she asked her. Esmerelda looked at Sybil before looking at Ethel confused as Ethel smiled.


	18. Chapter 18 - Sick

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Chapter Eighteen

**Sick**

Esmerelda clutched at her leg and moaned in pain, pretending she was injured as the nurse checked her over, she had to be injured long enough so she could stay at Cackles but the young girl was not sure how long she could pretend for.

"I can't see anything and the bone feels fine" the nurse said, not sure whether to believe her or not.

"IT HURTS" Esmerelda shouted dramtically. "I can't walk, it hurts to put pressure on it" Esmerelda went on and she saw Ethel smirk at her, glad she was learning to lie, Esmerelda threw a glare at her then looked back at the nurse.

"Please do something it really hurts" Esmerelda said, wondering if she should try make herself cry to make the act seem more real, but the thing was she never cried so she didn't even know if she had tears left she could use to cry with. The nurse sighed but nodded.

"Why don't you rest for a while and see if it feels better?" the woman said, settling the teenager in one of the beds before walking over to see to someone else. Esmerelda made sure she the nurse wasn't looking and turned to her sisters.

"This is never going to work" Esmerelda said, knowing she could fool the nurse but fooling the teachers was another story.

"She is right...we need something more" Sybil said knowing they had being brought some time but it won't be much time. Sybil looked at Ethel, knowing she was the one who was good at thinking of ideas.

The thing is though, Ethel didn't want to do something to purposely hurt her sister, so she was at a lost as to what to do. Esmerelda though suddenly thought of something and smiled.

"The cold potion, you know gives you flu like symptoms" Esmerelda said, knowing if she had a temperature they wouldn't send her home.

"No….we don't want you to be actually sick" Sybil said, unable to believe Esmerelda even suggested it.

"It wears of after a few hours" Ethel told her sister but she bit her lip, like Sybil not wanting to do this.

"Look we need something to cause a distraction for a few hours, please" Esmerelda said. Ethel sighed, knowing she didn't have much choice.

"Alright, just keep the act up as I go and make it" Ethel said leaving the room to go and make the potion, her stomach hurting at what she was about to do.

* * *

Ethel went to her bedroom and started on the sickness potion. She concentrated, knowing if she made it wrong, it could make Esmerelda actually really really sick, or it would last too long. She followed the instructions perfectly, making sure everything was measured perfectly and that it would be safe to consume.

The book said the potion was meant to be green, because green is normally associated with sickness, and Ethel smiled seeing hers was the exact shade of green that was shown in the book. She used a ladle to pour some of the potion into a test tube and then waved her hand to clear the rest of the potion she didn't need. She put it safe in her pocket and rushed to the hospital wing.

"Did you do it?" Sybil asked as she saw her sister walk in, looking sad as if she had failed. Ethel nodded and sighed, for once wishing she had made it wrong.

"Alright give it to me, she isn't looking" Esmerelda told Ethel, making sure the nurse was distracted. Ethel took the test tube out of her pocket and removed the stopper. Esmerelda made a face at the colour but put her hand out to take it, Ethel was going to give it to her but decided in that moment not to. Instead, before Esmerelda or Sybil had time to react, she drank the potion herself and hid the test tube behind the side of the bed.

"Ethel no...what are you?" Sybil said wondering why Ethel had done that. Ethel being sick would not help them, they needed Esmerelda to be allowed to stay, she needed to be the one sick.

Ethel went to reply but then sneezed as the potion took affect. She could feel her temperature rise, and she suddenly felt very cold. She coughed a few times and Esmerelda jumped out of the bed like someone had poked her with a needle.

"ETHIE" Esmerelda shouted, wondering what had possessed Ethel to drink the potion herself. Esmerelda knew she wasn't really sick but she still felt herself go into panic mode. Esmerelda yelling made the nurse look up and she rushed over concerned.

* * *

"What is going on?" the nurse asked the girls, wondering if Esmerelda was crying out in pain.

"Ethie isn't well" Sybil said as Ethel sneezed. The nurse didn't comment on Esmerelda's miraculous recovery of the use of her leg in that moment but instead helped Ethel lie back so she could check her over.

"How do you feel?" she asked the young girl. Ethel sneezed before she replied.

"Awful" Ethel admitted truthfully. Her throat hurt, her eyes were streaming, her nose was running, she had all the classic symptoms of a bad cold and felt unwell. The nurse touched her forehead and felt the girl was warm.

"You have a temperature, you are not going anywhere until it goes down" the nurse told her. Helping Ethel under the covers, the girl shivered, feeling super cold even though it was warm outside.

"You two might want to leave for a while, you might catch this if it is contagious" the nurse told the other sisters. The sisters though bend down by Ethel's bed, not listening.

"We don't care, we are not leaving Ethel when she is sick" Esmerelda said. The nurse knew she would not be able to give Ethel any medicine until she had checked her records for any allergies, so she left the girls and Esmerelda spoke as soon as she was out of earshot.

"What did you do that for?" Esmerelda asked wondering why Ethel had changed the plan and drank the potion herself.

"I didn't want you to suffer...you have suffered enough, I deserve this more than you do" Ethel replied in a croaky, broken voice. She sneezed, feeling her chest hurt.

"But Ethel, the whole point was to give Esmerelda a reason to stay" Sybil replied, thinking Ethel obviously had not thought this through.

Ethel mentally slapped herself, she had being trying to do the right thing and had not thought it through, her being sick helped no-one because they needed Esmerelda to be sick so she wouldn't be send home. Miss Cackle walked in that moment, clear having heard what happened when the perfomance was over.

"Esmerelda, it is time for you to be making tour way home now" Miss Cackle said. Esmerelda turned to look at her and glare.

"I can't go home! Ethel is sick! She needs me" Esmerelda replied, unable to believe they were trying to send her home still.

"It is just a cold, she will live" HB said coldly and uncaring. Esmerelda though was in panic mode.

"NOOO, I am not going home, I need to stay, Ethie needs me" Esmerelda said hugging Ethel who looked at her wondering why she had thought this was a good idea, she felt so unwell.

"For goodness sake, don't make me transfer you" Miss Hardbroom replied, Esmerelda glared harder at her.

"Try it, I will just come back every time until Ethel is better" Esmerelda said, giving the teachers a look to say she was serious. The two woman sighed, knowing there was no point and that they would be called heartless if people found out they forced her to go home when her sister wasn't well. They therefore left and Sybil smiled, Ethel's change of plan had worked, Esmie was so worried she was unreasonable and refused to move an inch, it couldn't of gone any better.

"Oh Ethie" Esmerelda said nearly in tears. Ethel hoped Josephine was here soon, she didn't like her sisters being hurt because she was sick, and she didn't like the fact they were close to tears. Jo should be on the plane by now, they just had to wait a little longer.


	19. Chapter 19 - Grandma Jo

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Chapter Nineteen

**Grandma Jo**

Ethel's headache was getting her down, she hated being sick and wondered what had possessed her to to purposely make herself sick. Esmerelda and Sybil fussed over her, to make sure she is comfortable.

"I am fine" Ethel told them, appreciating them caring but just wanting peace and quiet. Sybil sighed, wishing they had thought of another plan that didn't involve one of her sisters sick in bed.

"How long do you think it will be until grandma Jo is here?" Sybil asked, knowing it would take a least a day on the flight, so if she was already on the plane it should be early morning.

"Probably early, Ethie how long did it say the effects of the potion last?" Esmerelda asked her, having not looked it up in a while.

"About a day" Ethel said, knowing they would have to figure out something for the few hours that it would take for Jo to get here, but right now the plan was working just fine.

"We will think of something" Sybil said, knowing her and her sisters will figure it out.

"I wonder if everyone is talking about the performance" Ethel wondered aloud, trying to change the subject and forget she was not feeling good.

"Right now that is the last thing on my mind" Esmerelda replied with a worry. She wondered what Josephine was actually going to do once she was here, yes she could shout at the teachers and their parents but that is not going to help Esmie be able to have magic again.

"Don't worry Esmerelda, if anyone can sort this it is Nan" Sybil told her, sensing what she was thinking.

* * *

It was a hard act to put up with. Ethel felt sick which made her much more stroppy than normal (if that was possible) and then the two younger girls had to fight the teachers and the nurse in order to be allowed to stay in the spare beds in the sick bay, not wanting to leave Ethel alone. In the end, it was decided for one night they could, it was getting late and all everyone wanted was to get to sleep and not argue. The three girls lay in their beds awake, unable to sleep from nerves about their grandmother coming to visit, when all of a sudden there was a sound of crying from Ethel's direction.

"Ethel? Are you alright?" Sybil asked quietly, knowing they couldn't be too loud ot they might get sent out of the sick bay.

"You aren't in pain are you?" Esmerelda asked her sister concerned and willing to go and wake the nurse to get her sister pain relief if she had too.

"No….I am just such an idiot" Ethel said as she cried more.

Sybil was confused by this. Yes Ethel's behaviour and actions could sometimes be described as idiotic, but right now she hadn't done anything, apart from make herself sick.

"It's alright Ethie, using the potion worked in the end, it bided us time" Esmerelda replied, also thinking Ethel was upset about taking the potion.

"No it isn't that" Ethel replied as she cried, not knowing how to put into words what she wanted to say.

"Then what is up?" Sybil asked, confused just like Esmerelda was.

Ethel hated the fact she was so bad at expressing herself, but she was upset and she knew her sisters would not stop nagging until she explained herself.

"I...it is just...all...these years I have thought, in the back of my mind, you two don't really love me, it is more that you feel pity for me, or that you felt like you had to love me because we are family, I pushed you away, doing everything I could to pretend I didn't care, but you two staying here with me when all I have is a silly cold has just made it hit me you do" Ethel said, the fact hitting her hard and wondering why she had being so blind to it before. Esmerelda and Sybil were probably the only two people, apart from Jo, who loved her always, even though they knew she had flaws and could be a bad person, it was obvious to anyone with eyes, anyone except Ethel that is.

"Oh Ethel? How could you not realise that?" Sybil asked shaking her head as she stood up feeling around in the dark so she could walk to Ethel. Ethel cried more, wondering why she was such an idiot sometimes.

"I don't know, I am sorry for always being so mean to you both, I just didn't realise how you felt" Ethel replied. Sybil found her way to Ethel and hugged her before she felt another pair of arms around them and realised Esmerelda was hugging them too.

"You silly goose" Esmerelda told Ethel, feeling bad Ethel had not realised, but she knew it wasn't her fault, Ethel had to of seen it herself, if they had stood with a sign in front of her saying it she wouldn't of got it in her brain, they had shown it as much as they could, Ethel was just blind to it.

"Thank you...and I am sorry" Ethel said still upsetting about her stupidity and hugging her sisters.

* * *

None of the girls got much sleep and when they saw light coming through the window they were up. Ethel's sickness had more or less gone. She wasn't coughing or sneezing, her headache was gone and it was clear she was over her imaginary illness. Esmerelda looked at her watch and saw it was still fairly early, but they had a few more hours until Jo would be here.

"Now what do we do?" Sybil asked looking at her sister who wasn't sick. Ethel bit her lip worried.

"Maybe I should take some more of the potion?" Ethel suggested but Esmerelda shook her head.

"Nan won't want to come here to you sick, I do have one idea but it is crazy" Esmerelda said looking at her sisters.

"What is it Esmie?" the girls asked curiously.

* * *

The three girls left the castle and walked to the broomstick shed, they were going to go straight to the airport that Jo was arriving at, they knew when it was discovered they had left they would be in trouble, but by then they will be returning.

"Esmie you go with Ethel, she is a better flier" Sybil told her, knowing she had improved so much, but she had only just gotten good at flying and Esmie being there would make it an extra weight, Ethel was better at control, and Esmerelda didn't argue, she just wished she could fly by herself again.

"Come on, if we go now we might get there just as the plane lands" Ethel told her sisters as Esmerelda sat on the broomstick behind Ethel and Sybil got on hers and they took off, towards the airport.

It took a while, because the girls were not entirely sure of the way, and Ethel and Sybil ended up arguing when they took a wrong turn, but soon they were landing outside a hustling and bustling airport. Ethel and Sybil took their ties off as well as their coloured pin badges, that way they looked less like a witches uniform. They hid their broomsticks in a bush and then rushed into the airport.

"Australia…..there" Esmerelda said pointing to the board of arrivals it said _**'Sydney Australia -landed**__"_ the girls moved so they were by the gate where their gran would arrive.

"It might not even be that plane, she could of missed that one and got another" Ethel said wishing they had a way to contact her to find out. The girls were just wondering if they should wait when they heard their names.

"Esmerelda, Ethel, Sybil" someone said. All there girls turned, shaking a little, worried it was HB who had followed them.

However an older woman was stood there, blonde like the young girls but with more greying hair, and dressed in what was supposed to be casual clothes to hide the fact she was a witch, she was holding a large suitcase and looking tired but furious but excited to see her granddaughters all at the same time. The girls ran to her and wrapped their arms around her shouting nan.

"Oh I missed you all so much" she said cuddling her granddaughters tightly but she knew she had time to spend with them later, right now she had this mess to sort out.

"Come on you three, we can catch up later, right now I have to have a word with them adults in your care" she told them. Everyone went back outside, grabbed their broomsticks and then Jo led them into the toilets, made sure it was empty and transferred, going back to Cackles to find out what on earth was doing on and why Esmerelda had being left for nearly a year without magic.


	20. Chapter 20 - Fighting

A/N: Today is a double upload as I missed uploading yesterday and I am going away at the end of the week so won't be able to write for two weeks. Enjoy!

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Chapter Twenty

**Fighting**

The Hallow family landed in the courtyard and the young girls followed their nan as she walked into the school, and started to head towards Miss Cackles office. As they walked the girls noticed some students staring at them but they tried to ignore it. Luckily they were soon outside the office and Jo had the brains to knock.

"Come in" the cheery voice of Miss Cackle said. Jo pushed open the door, seeing Miss Cackle beaming from ear to ear at how well her performance went. That smiled dropped as she saw who was in her doorway.

"Josephine Hallow!" the woman said in shock, she was the last person she expected to see.

"Hallow?" HB replied confused, stood next to the headteacher. Jo nodded, knowing exactly who she was.

"I went to school with Ada, You must be Miss Hardbottom" Jo said with a smirk. She knew full well her name was Hardbroom but she was messing with her, she was a Hallow after all, they all had a side of them that liked to mess with people.

"It is Hardbroom!" Hecate replied insulted. Ada shook her head but ignored her and turned to her old school student.

"How are you Josephine?" How is Australia?" Ada asked knowing the woman had moved there. Jo though was not there to talk about her life, she was there to talk about Esmie's.

"I did not come here today to talk about Australia, I want to know why my granddaughter has being left powerless for so long?" the woman asked, growing angry. Ada and Hecate eyed each other before replying.

"Esmerelda gave her magic to my sister Agatha, we had forgotten this fact when we locked her in that painting" Ada said standing up and walking to the painting of Agatha Cackle and Miss Gullet so Jo could see. "It is far to dangerous for us to release her again, even if it was to force her to give the magic back" Ada explained, explaining the exact reason Esmerelda Hallow was still powerless.

"Yes I have heard the story" Jo said turning up her nose in a creepily similar way to Ethel "But why does that matter? Esmerelda needs magic, whether it is the one she was born with or not" Jo replied. Not understanding why the teachers were so desperate for Esmerelda to have her own magic back, powers were powers, whether original or borrowed.

"Miss Hallow" Hecate said, not sure if the woman was married or not.

"MRS" Jo replied fiercely. Her poor husband might of died but in her mind her marriage had not ended by death, she was still his wife even if he wasn't there.

"Sorry Mrs Hallow, we have tried but thinking of a solution is not easy, magic doesn't grow on trees you know, if it did any old person could get as much magic as they wanted, that is why it is so protected" Hecate replied, not understanding why a woman who seemed wise did not realise that.

* * *

"Not a solution? What about magic transfers? Prisons do that..." Jo said before she was interrupted.

"Do you really want your granddaughter to have magic from a prisoner?" Ada asked rising her eyebrows surprised. Jo glared at her.

"You didn't let me finish!" the eldest Hallow replied."I was going to say Prisons do that, but that isn't an option as I wouldn't want Esmerelda to be using magic that had done evil things, but what about medical transfers?" Jo asked, wondering why there woman had not thought of it.

"Josephine, you know how it works, the magic is given to other family members" Ada replied, wondering how that helped.

When a witch or wizard was close to death, they were able to chose someone to give their magic too, a spouse, a partner, a child, a grandchild, because obviously they no longer needed it, not everyone chose to do this, some believed they would be scowled at death without magic, but a lot of them chose to and the sad reality was not everyone had family to give magic too, which is where the magic strangers come in, sometimes they looked for a donor to take the magic.

"We have not being able to find a suitable candidate" HB replied. The sisters looked at each other, wondering if the teachers had actually looked into it or they were pretending so they didn't get into trouble.

"Not able to find someone suitable? There is a list at any given time of fifty odd people who are waiting to give up their magic, how can none of them be suitable, please don't lie to me Miss Hardbottom, I am not stupid, I know you didn't look into this" Josephine replied annoyed, knowing they really had done nothing at all.

"It's HARDBROOM" Hecate shouted, the sisters looked at each other and smirked. They loved watching heir nan wind her up, it was an unusual sight.

"Look, alright we didn't think of that solution, we have being very busy this year, we are trying our best to think of something" Ada replied, annoyed at the woman for accusing them of not doing anything.

"And in the meantime, my granddaughter is powerless and away from her sisters because you are to lazy to do anything about it, This is Esmerelda's last compulsory year and she was meant to be doing the most important exams of her life, and yet you just leave her!, this isn't her second year where she might be able to scrape by and catch up, she needs them exams for college" Josephine yelled in disbelief. Esmerelda should be preparing for her exams, not wondering if or where she will be getting her magic from. Year five at Cackles was optional, an extra, higher mark, but they didn't need that.

"Look this isn't our fault, we didn't tell Esmerelda to give up her magic, we are trying to sort it, you have not even being here, so who is the one now leaving her to suffer?" Miss Hardbroom replied, not caring, or asking, why the woman had left the country. Everyone felt silent at that, knowing she had said something dangerous. Josephine glared at her in such a deadly way, it was suprising Hecate was still standing on her feet.

"How dare you!, My husband passed away four years ago, and I knew that I was not coping with it so I left to get away from the memories which were haunting me, I might not be here in person, but I always look out for the girls, your job is simple, look after your pupils and help them when they need it, this situation should of being sorted when it first happened, not left for me to come and pick up the pieces" Jo spoke in such a quiet, deadly voice it made her granddaughters flinch, Jo was no longer just angry, she was absolutely fuming, Miss Hardbroom had crossed the line with her comment.

* * *

"I am sorry Josephine, Hecate didn't mean that, she wasn't aware of the situation, and I am sorry about Esmerelda, I understand your concerns, but we have tried everything" Ada replied as if that was the end of it.

"Tried everything?" Josephine scoffed, wondering how they could believe that "You tried nothing, you let my granddaughter down" Josephine went on, angry.

"If you think we did that you see if you can think of something then" Hecate replied angrily. She was not happy this woman was coming to yell at them when she was no closer to finding a way forward than them.

"I already have, did you really expect me not to come here prepared?" Jo asked the woman. The sisters looked at each other wondering what Jo had up her sleeve. The woman opened her bag and pulled out a wooden box.

"What is that grandma?" Esmerelda asked curiously. Jo turned around opening the box as she did so, pulling out a small glass bottle with a stopper on.

"Something I have being holding on to, just in case of an emergency" Jo said. Ethel and Sybil stepped closer to their sister, to have a look at what it was. They looked closer at the bottle and recognised the name on it.

"Alatar Hallow" the girls looked at each other as they realised that what Jo was holding was from their deceased grandfather.


	21. Chapter 21 - Magic and Hallows

A/N: Story finished a new one will be started after my hoilday, hope you enjoyed it.

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Chapter Twenty-One

**Magic and Hallows**

"Nan….what ….?" Esmerelda commented confused, she didn't understand.

"Your Grandfather, when he passed away he donated his magic to me, he told me he didn't need it where he was going" Jo said before wiping her eyes.

"Oh nan...I can't take it...he gave it to you, it is yours" Esmerelda replied, knowing she could never take her grandfather's powers, it was the last thing he had ever left to his wife after all.

"He was a smart man your grandad, it is as if he knew, one day it would be needed, he told me to keep it safe until that day" Jo replied. Ethel and Sybil looked at their nan amazed, they had not known about this, none of them had.

"It is meant to be kept safe for you Nan, I can't take it, I am sorry" Esmerelda replied, shaking her head in refusal. Miss Hardbroom in that moment decided to butt in.

"Plus that is magic from an old wizard, how would that be helpful?" Miss Hardbroom commented. Josephine turned around and glared at the woman. She lifted her hand, sending a spell towards HB that clamped the woman's man shut and let no sound escape.

"Old people have just as powerful magic as you do, stop thinking you are superior to others" Jo said. The girls gasped and looked at their teacher with their mouths opened. Sybil was the first to get over her shock, but she didn't have a chance to say anything as Jo transferred them away then, to the house she had lived in in England and was now her holiday home. She knew Miss Cackle would be trying to help the woman and might be reporting her, but she wasn't worried.

* * *

"Them teachers talk to much" Jo said hoping the teachers would learn to keep their mouths shut after what she had done.

"I agree gran, but ….HB has a point, will the magic work the same if it is from a wizard?" Sybil asked, buting her lip, hoping she wasn't in trouble for agreeing with Hardbroom. Jo though knew what she meant.

"Magic does differ slightly between the two genders, but not by much, if you train your powers to work like a witches does they will work just as well" Josephine replied. She knew it was unusual and that is why she had researched that herself. It could work, it took more training but magic did not differ much, plus it was magic from a blood relative, so it would be even better.

"Still, I can't use it Gran, what if you need it one day?" I can't do it, I will never forgive myself" Esmerelda fretted, feeling like it was not the right thing to do. Josephine was glad her granddaughter cared so much about other people.

"Your grandfather loved you, all three of you, he would want you to have it" the old woman replied, trying to reassure her granddaughter it was okay.

"But nan, didn't you say we could get a doner, maybe Esmie is right, maybe we should save it" Ethel replied, wondering if t was a good idea and if Jo will come to regret it.

"This magic is from a Hallow, outside magic will not be the same, it wont be as powerful or work quite the same, I have no use for it, I want you to have it Esmerelda, and Alatar would too" Josephine replied, wishing she had not gave the girls her stubbornness.

"But it helps you remember him" Sybil said sadly, wishing they were not in this situation.

"A little bottle of magic? No, I have every memory in my heart, I don't remember your grandfather for his magic I remember him for who he was underneath, I have plenty of things of his to keep hold of, but this magic is just sitting on a shelf" Jo said. Esmerelda looked at her sisters as if asking what she should do.

"Come now darling, its alright, its time to end this silly game" Jo replied, still angry about what she had discovered, about Esmerelda being left to suffer. Esmie knew her grandmother would not take no for an answer. So she took the bottle of her and looked at it.

"Now take of the stopper, and hold out your hands and ask to have the powers shared with you" Jo said. Esmie gulped but nodded, removing the cork from the top. She put her hands either side of the bottle and spoke.

"My powers have gone, please share your powers with me" Esmerelda said, wondering if she had said the right thing. A blue spark lifted out the bottle and Esmerelda's hands and chest started to glow, Esmie put her head back, feeling tingles as the magic went through her veins, this lasted about a minute before it stopped. Everyone looked at Esmerelda.

"Well did it work?" Ethel asked, biting her lip. Esmerelda looked at her fingers and saw sparks surrounding them and smiled, knowing it had been a success. Sybil and Ethel hugged her tightly, as Jo went and hugged each of them, happily.

* * *

"Nan, do you think the Great Wizard left Esmerelda without magic on purpose, as a way to punish her for being gullible?" Sybil asked, asking something that had being on her mind for a while now as they all sat on the sofas and talked. Josephine had being wondering the same thing herself.

"It wouldn't surprise me, I will make sure on my trip to discuss it with him as well, Great Wizard or not he cant treat people like this" Jo replied, having a good mind to have a go at him, she knew not much could be done, but she wanted to know why, Esmerelda had only being trying to help, she didn't deserve that.

"I bet he won't be happy you gave me grandad's magic" Esmerelda replied. Knowing he wont be happy she went behind her back.

"No, but I am not happy after what he did to you either, I am not just going to sit here and do nothing" the woman replied, knowing she could get in trouble, but frankly she didn't care.

"Thank you Nan, I will never be able to repay you" Esmerelda said with a smile, the woman smiled, knowing it was something she had to do.

"I am happy too, but tomorrow we are going to get it with HB" Ethel replied, flinching at the thought of it.

"Don't you worry about that woman, if she causes trouble send her to me" Jo said, not scared of the likes of HB at all.

"But Nan, she always tells me I am not good enough, and I know she is right, I am useless" Sybil said. She had being so happy when she had performanced well, but it had taken so much work, the feelings of worthlessness were coming back.

"SYBIL HALLOW" Jo shouted. Sybil looked at her shocked she had shouted at her.

"Don't ever say that again, you are brilliant" Jo said, knowing it wasn't good for her to put herself down.

"But I am not a proper Hallow, I mess up and get things all wrong" Sybil said. Jo hated their parents for making Sybil think like that.

"You are human, all humans mess up, I know a lot of pressure is put on you because of the family name but, you don't have to be perfect Sybil" Josephine told her. Sybil looked at her sisters, wishing she had their brains. Esmerelda seemed to know what she was thinking.

"Yes Sybil, I was the smartest pupil at the school, but was gullible enough to give my powers to an evil witch, I have flaws too" Esmerelda replied, knowing she was far from perfect. Ethel sighed and butt in.

"I might be smart but I am badly behaved and don't know how to treat others and constantly push the people away that love me, I am not going to say I am perfect when it is not true" Ethel replied with a shrug. Sybil looked at them and smiled slightly.

"Do you really think I am doing okay?" Sybil asked nervously

"You are brilliant Sybil, being a Hallow is not about power or being smarter than someone else it is about loving each other and being brave and loyal, and you have all that already Sybil, I am proud of you" Jo said. Sybil stood up and hugged her.

It would take a while, but she felt she was learning what a Hallow was, no-one was perfect and she didn't have to be, Esmerelda was no less of a Hallow without magic, and Ethel is no more of a Hallow with her sometimes unapproachable attitude their ancestors were known for. A Hallow was whatever they wanted to be, and one day Sybil knew that would really sink in, it might take a long time but she knew she didn't have to be perfect because she wasn't any Hallow, she was Sybil Hallow, her own person.

"Thank you" Sybil said hugging her grandmother and smiling. For once, feeling safe and like she was important.

"We love you how you are Sybie, don't ever change" Esmerelda told her

"Yeah what she said" Ethel replied. Sybil beamed. She might not know exactly what a Hallow was right in that moment but she was sure proud to be one.


End file.
